Or how to take ownership of your PhD

Starting a research degree can be an exciting time, as you are effectively beginning a journey into the unknown, making new discoveries and ultimately becoming a subject specialist in your specific field. However, this can also be a daunting time, where you may be working in a new, and sometimes isolated environment. In addition to developing subject knowledge and learn specific research techniques, you may need to develop new skills to manage your own time and project, or to enhance your wider skills in presentations, writing, creativity and critical thinking in order to communicate your research effectively, as well as to build your resilience as a researcher.

The LDC Development team offers a range of support for your development at the start of the research degree, including specific advice on those essential research skills. Our sessions will provide a greater understanding of the expectations of you, as a research student, and will help you take more control of this process yourself, to start the journey to becoming an independent and confident researcher and ultimately, to take ownership of your own PhD.

Video Introduction to the LDC Development Programme
Video introduction to the theme: Taking Ownership of your PhD

The programme includes both workshops and webinars. Our highly interactive workshops take place on the Liverpool campus and include opportunities to network with researchers across the University. The hour-long webinars are accessible online to all, on or off campus, including those who are attending research experiments.

Our Programme timetable lists all events offered this Autumn. The links on the dates below offer further information and registration for the events most relevant to new researchers:

Upcoming Workshops

• Taking Ownership of your PhD – A full day workshop, 09:15 – 16:30
  10^th Oct, 23^rd Oct, 5^th Nov
• Build your PhD 17^th Oct 13:00 – 16:00
• Improving your Social Wellbeing during your PhD 19^th Nov 10:00 – 15:00
• Setting Goals for 2020 3^rd Dec 13:00 – 16:00

Upcoming Webinars – all run 12:30 – 13:30

• What to expect and what to do early in the PhD – 14^th Oct
• Effectively using the PGR Toolbox 1^st Oct, 15^th Oct, 7^th Nov
• Surviving the PhD 21^th Oct
• Time management for PhD researchers 28^th Oct
• Developing a healthy supervisory relationship 30^th Oct
• Adapting to an international research environment within the UK 6^th Nov

Online Support

The LDC Development team offers a range of online resources that can be viewed by all postgraduate researchers at Liverpool and which offer advice and suggestions on wider research skills including writing, presentations, time management. This resource collection also includes packages covering research integrity and more subject-specific guidance on research methods.

• LDC Development online resources