Stellenbosch University
Welcome to Stellenbosch University
Library Research Week 2024 Programme now Available
Start: 06/05/2024, 17:00
End: 17/05/2024, 17:00
Contact:Kirchner van Deventer - 0218082623
Location: Online


The annual Library Research Week will take place during the week of 13 - 17 May 2024.​ Research Week 2024 will be launched on the 13th of May 2024. This year's theme is Let's Achieve Research Excellence and there will be several webinars based on the themes Let's kickstart the research process, Let's excel in research strategies, Let's utilise tools for research, and Let's strive for research excellence, in the face of adversityWhether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting your academic journey, these webinars will empower you to elevate your research endeavours. Each day of Library Research Week will focus on a specific theme, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the research process!

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Monday, 13 May

Launch of Library Research Week 2024


SunDMP (FAIR Wizard) Launch and Opening of Library Research Week

Professor Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies

Time: 15:30 – 16:00

Advancing Research Excellence: Stellenbosch University's Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Time: 16:00 – 16:40



Tuesday, 14 May

Let's kickstart the research process


Writing a sound research proposal: principles and process

Professor Susan van Schalkwyk

Time: 10:15 - 11:30

Writing a good proposal starts with good planning. This session on proposal writing will focus on how you can use nutshell writing to plan your proposal and get the writing process started.

 

EndNote for intermediate users

Mr. Kirchner van Deventer

Time: 11:30 – 13:00

This workshop will require a working knowledge of how EndNote operates and how to use its basic functions. The session's focus will be on EndNote's technical features that allow for greater customisation and precision.

Outcomes:

Participants will learn

  • How to edit and create a custom style
  • How to use Term Lists
  • How to handle complicated references

Literature Reviews in Practice

Ms. Heila Mare & Mr. Kirchner van Deventer

Time: 10:15 – 11:30

This webinar will focus on how to extract the most important pieces of information from academic sources and how they should be applied in a literature review. Prior to the webinar, you will receive several academic articles that you will need to read through in preparation for the session. We will draw from various disciplines to be as inclusive as possible. It is highly recommended that you also view the following recording of the general principles of how to conduct a literature review:

Literature Reviews

Outcomes:

Participants will learn:

  • How to break down a source using the Literature Synthesis Table
  • How to extract the most important information from a source
  • How to relay that information in your own words in a literature review

Wednesday, 15 May

Let's excel in research strategies


Managing your research with SunDMP (FAIR Wizard)

Mr. Xabiso Xesi

Time: 09:00 - 10:00

The foundations of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles in managing research will be covered during this session and how the FAIR Wizard tool can help SU researchers implement these principles in the research workflow. Subjects including data management, creating metadata, and data sharing protocols will be addressed, focusing on how crucial it is to improve the discoverability and usability of research data.

Outcomes:

  • Understanding the core principles of FAIR data and their significance in modern research practices.
  • knowledge of the FAIR Wizard tool's capabilities, which can help researchers apply FAIR data concepts in an efficient manner.
  • Applying FAIR data concepts practically to your research projects to improve reproducibility and collaboration.

Mixed-methods research

Professor Stiaan Lamprecht

Time: 10:15 - 11:45

This is a research approach that combines both qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study. This approach has become increasingly popular in many fields, as it allows researchers to gain a deeper understanding of complex phenomena that cannot be fully understood using a single method.

This webinar will focus on discussing what is meant by “mixed method research" as well as provide insight on how to conduct mixed method research.


Introduction and primer to scoping reviews

Dr Michael McCaul

Time: 13:45 - 15:15

This webinar is designed to provide an overview of scoping reviews, a type of literature review that is increasingly popular in the fields of health sciences, social sciences, and other disciplines. The webinar will cover the basic principles of scoping reviews, including their purpose, methodology, and key features, as well as provide examples of how scoping reviews can be used in research and practice. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with the presenter and other attendees.


Thursday, 16 May

Let's utilise tools for research


PowerBi: A Tool for Data Visualisation

Ms. Marié Roux

Time: 09:00 - 11:30

The workshop will be a hands-on introduction to Power BI, available for free through SU's subscription to Microsoft 365.

Participants will learn the following:

  • How to install the desktop and connect to Microsoft Excel
  • Start visualising data easily with an extensive library of data visualisations.
  • How to build reports and dashboards

SPSS: The Quantitative Data Analysis and Research Software

Dr Cindy Steenekamp

Time: 11:30 - 13:00

The workshop will first focus on some of the foundational principles of quantitative research before it proceeds to the functionality and utility of SPSS as a tool for quantitative data analysis.

  • The workshop will include:
  • What is quantitative data and where does it come from?
  • Foundation of quantitative data analysis (levels of measurement); and
  • Introduction to SPSS

Qualitative Research: The Basics

Dr Elizabeth le Roux

Time: 13:45 - 15:15

This webinar is tailored for emerging scientists (supervisors and postgraduate students) interested in doing or supervising qualitative research.

  • Principles for interpretivist research
  • Doing qualitative interviews
  • Interpreting analysed data
  • Preparing to interpret, theorise, and particularise with qualitative data.


Friday, 17 May

Let's strive for research excellence, in the face of adversity


Panel Discussion - Three years later: What has been the impact of Transformational Agreements at SU

Panelists:

Mr. Sakhile Mngomezulu, Professor Marena Manley and Melanie Lehnert-Bechle

Time: 09:00 - 10:15


How green spaces influence our wellbeing - Veggie Mandalas: Personal Research Journey

Prof. Karen Esler

Time: 10:30 - 11:10


How SciVal can benefit Researchers in Practice

Elsevier

Time: 11:30 - 12:30

The session will demonstrate how SciVal is used in specific cases, with specific examples of how the data in SciVal could be used by the researchers themselves.




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