Research Productivity Workshop

Dr Jo Edmondston & Dr Krys HaqGraduate Education Officers

Graduate Research School

Objectives of Workshop

1) Better understand research environment requirements2) Develop a strategic approach to planning and prioritising your research requirements3) Explore ways of improving research relationships4) Develop a writing strategy that is effective and efficient

Graduate Education Officers

The Graduate Education Officers provide a range of academic writing support to Higher Degree by Research students at UWA, including workshops, writing spaces and writing retreats.

Read more here: http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/resources Find writing event dates here: http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/resources/events

Dr Krys Haq 6488 2095 krys.haq@uwa.edu.au Dr Jo Edmondston 6488 7010 joanne.edmondston@uwa.edu.au

Dr Michael Azariadis 6488 1726 michael.azariadis@uwa.edu.au

Study Smarter

StudySmarter are a team of learning skills advisors that help UWA students develop study skills. They offer a range of online support, workshops and drop-in sessions and a number of their workshops focus on productivity.

Read more here: http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter Find the workshop dates here: http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter/orientation

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Resources

Explorations of Style http://explorationsofstyle.com/

Doctoral Writing Special Interest Group (SIG) https://doctoralwriting.wordpress.com/home/

Thesis Whisperer http://thesiswhisperer.com/

Thinkwell

Free Guides and planners https://www.ithinkwell.com.au/resources

The care and maintenance of your adviser https://www.ithinkwell.com.au/content/nature_2011_student_advisers.pdf

The Balanced Researcher https://www.ithinkwell.com.au/ebook-the-balanced-researcher

LinkedIn Learning

Dave Crenshaw’s Time Management Fundamentals https://www.linkedin.com/learning/time-management-fundamentals/welcome?u=2213369

Todd Dewett’s Learning to say No https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-to-say-no/welcome?u=2213369

Dorie Clark’s When and how to find a mentor https://www.linkedin.com/learning/search?keywords=when%20and%20how%20to%20find%20a%20mentor&u=2213369

GRS / UWA Careers Events

Careers Workshops

Academic Writing Workshops

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1. Research Environment

Free writing is one of the most widely used unconscious writing technique. The technique involves write continuously for a set time period, forcing you to focus on writing while ‘freeing’ you from the temptation to do anything else, such as edit, engage with negative thoughts, procrastinate, multi-task and/or search for additional references. Write continuously means you do not allow your pen to stop moving. If you get stuck write ‘blah blah blah…..’ until your brain re-engages with the task.

Purdue OWL’s Introduction to Invention http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/673/01/

Free write for 5 min about your (i) research productivity challenges (ii) research productivity successes

Discuss your research productivity challenges and successes with a small group (3-4 others.

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The research environment is complex and to succeed you’ll need to draw on a wide range of skills – not only your intellect and research skills, but also your management and ‘life’ skills. You’ll need to apply your many skills to many different tasks, balancing the various requirements of your research work and trying to achieve work-life balance.

What activities are you balancing right now? List the activities that you feel are pacing pressure on you under the pressure cooker. List the tasks you feel are appropriately planned and prioritised under the balance.

For example: data collection, data analysis, research training, ethics, administrative paperwork, meetings, thesis writing, journal article writing and submission, industry engagement, community engagement, research presentations, teaching, tutoring, family time, time with friends, physical activity, hobbies.

Pressured Balanced

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Thinkwell. The Balanced Researcher https://www.ithinkwell.com.au/ebook-the-balanced-researcher. This free e-book provides a range of strategies for researchers to use to improve balance in the workplace and at home.

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2. Planning and Prioritising

Consider the following statements. Which apply to you?

YES NO

I have effective time management skills …………………………………………………………………….…..

The time management skills I have developed are appropriate for my PhD candidature .

I combine short-term planning with long-term planning ..………..………..………..………..………..

I use time management support tools . ..………..………..………..………..………………………………..

I ask my supervisor(s) to set deadlines for me . ..………………………...………..………..……..………

I spend an appropriate amount of time on planning and prioritising tasks …...………..……..

I set aside time for planning and prioritising ……………………..……..………..………..………..………

I make realistic task lists ...………..………..……….……...………..………..………..………..…………..………

I allocate time reasonably to tasks …………….……..………..……..………..………..………..…………….

I usually complete my task lists within the allocated time ..………..………..………..……..….……

I have been to time management training ..………..………..……………………………..……..…….…...

I see time management as a skill that needs ongoing development ..…………………………..…

“Competence allows doctoral students to be efficient in knowledge absorption, integration, deployment of tools, and ultimately deliver a quality product. Motivation provides the drive to traverse obstacles in the path of knowledge generation and our knowledge institutions. But, managing doctoral education allows students to navigate and keep control over an unstructured process. Management of the program is the most underemphasized predictor of success in doctoral study; however, together the three form a winning combination.”

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The Next Thing

The next micro-task is to:

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To Day List

What will be done

9:00 – 10:00

10:00 – 11:00

11:00 – 12:00

12:00 – 1:00

1:00 – 2:00

2:00 – 3:00

3:00 – 4:00

4:00 – 5:00

5:00 – 6:00

6:00 – 7:00

7:00 – 8:00

8:00 – 9:00

9:00 – 10:00

The most important thing to get done today is: •

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This week This Week

This Six Months

What will be done How Long Due date

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Key dates: ••••

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Plan B There are many things that can go wrong over the course of a PhD. The two factors you need to consider are:

Likelihood: How likely is it that this risk will happen?

Consequences: How severe will the consequences be?

Risk Plan B

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Writing audit Document name:

Section How many words

How complete (%)

Title:

Abstract:

Introduction:

Literature:

Method:

Results:

Discussion:

Conclusion:

References:

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3. Knowing Yourself, Your Supervisors and Your Colleagues

Consider the following statements. Which apply to you?

YES NO

I am a perfectionist ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..

I worry I am not ‘good enough’……………………………………………………………………………….….…..

I find negative feedback about my writing very confronting………………………………..…….…..

I dislike academic writing …………………………………………………………………………….…………….…..

I think paperwork is a waste of time ……………………………………………………………..…..……….…..

I procrastinate ……………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….…..

I work very long hours ………………………………………………………………………………………….…….…..

I rarely take annual leave …………………………………………………………………………………….…………..

I like to solve problems on my own ……………………………………………………………………..…………..

I panic when my research does not go as planned …………………………………………………..………

I understand my supervisor’s expectations ………………………………………………………………….…..

I know my supervisor’s busiest times of year …………………………………………….…………………….

I know what frustrates my supervisor ..………..………..………..……………………….……….…..………..

I know what my supervisor thinks I do well ..………..………..………..………..…………………………..

I know my supervisor’s ‘blind spots’ ..………………………...…………………………….………..……..……

I know what my supervisor will not compromise …...……………………..…………………….…..……..

I know how my supervisor prefers to receive information ……………………..……..………..………

Gabarro & Kotter. 1993. Managing your boss. Harvard Business review. 139-158. http://coachingpartners.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/Managing-Your-Boss.pdf

Thesis Whisperer. 2014. Please stop telling me to ‘manage’ my supervisor! https://thesiswhisperer.com/2014/06/25/please-stop-telling-me-to-manage-my-supervisor/

Student Perceptions of Research Supervision (SPORS) Questionnaire http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2818333/SPORS_JE050216.pdf

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Agenda Date:

Item

1. What I’ve done since last meeting.

2. Questions, issues.

3. Feedback.

4. What I plan to do before next meeting.

5. The Next Thing.

6. The next meeting.

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Meeting notes Date:

Present:

Things to do:

Who When What

Key items discussed:

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Consider the following statements. Which apply to you? Add up each of the ticks and fill in the totals for each quadrant. Circle the quadrant that has the highest score.

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In your group discuss which DISC personality type you are. How closely do you think this DISC type matches your true behaviours and needs? How difficult do you finding working with other team members with other DISC types?

https://ww

w.discprofile.com

/wh

at-is-disc/overview/

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4. Writing Efficiently

Discuss how efficiently and effectively you write. Do you enjoy writing? Do you have a writing routine? Has this routine changed as your writing skills have developed?

Set writing time Sporadic writing

Quiet environment Noisy environment

Extended writing sessions Short writing session

Late night writing session Morning writing session

Write to a plan/list Unstructured writing

Draft using word processor Draft using pen and paper

‘Online’ ‘Unplugged’

Many research students find feedback on their academic writing very challenging. For many, past feedback has been positive and anything ‘less than positive’ comes as a shock. However, just because you have written well in the past, doesn’t mean you still have much to learn about academic writing. You will need to be receptive to the challenge of becoming an academic writer and appreciate that feedback is designed to improve your academic writing skills.

Exploration of Style: Shouldn’t I already know how to write? http://explorationsofstyle.com/2013/02/06/shouldnt-i-already-know-how-to-write/

Exploration of Style: Identifying Yourself as a Writer https://explorationsofstyle.com/2011/04/13/identifying-yourself-as-a-writer/

Thesis Whisperer. Why does feedback hurt sometimes? https://thesiswhisperer.com/2014/05/28/why-does-feedback-hurt-sometimes/

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Waiting for the Motivation Fairy http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110407/pdf/nj7341-127a.pdf

Flow States http://positivepsychology.org.uk/living-in-flow/

Flow states require: - Clear understanding of the goals - Appreciation of the rewards of achieving the goals - Complete concentration on achieving the goals - Sense of control over the tasks required to meet the goals - No concerns about inability to complete the tasks

Repetition is the key to developing good habits (~66 days). Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 998-1009. Examined Existence - How You Can Train Your Brain to Create New Habits http://examinedexistence.com/how-you-can-train-your-brain-to-create-new-habits

Multi-tasking reduces efficiency. Daniel J. Levitin. 2014. The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload. Dutton. ABC Science Show Sunday 30 August 2015 5:05PM: The distracted mind. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/allinthemind/the-distracted-mind/6663470

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Time and Motion Study Basics

In summary, a time and motion study goes like this:

1. Look closely at what you’redoing. 2. Spot opportunities to be moreefficient. 3. Make a change to the way youwork to do it. 4. See if it produces the expectedresults. 5. Assess and repeat.

http://blog.idonethis.com/how-to-do-a-time-and-motion-study-to-make-real-change/

LeachBlock https://www.proginosko.com/leechblock/

6 Tools That Help You To Avoid Digital Distractions https://medium.com/the-mission/6-tools-that-help-you-to-avoid-digital-distractions-ad123dcf06fd

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