DWLresearch

Critical Appraisal   An important skill to develop as a researcher is to be able to critically appraise other research and research papers. To help with this the library has created a reading list of critical appraisal resources - the list is primarily aimed at health and medicine, but should also be useful to other subjects. The Leicester Learning Institute also provides some resources on developing your critical thinking skills . Systematic Reviews A systematic review is a type of literature review that attempts to find all published and unpublished material on a specific research question. It is a common methodology used in health and medicine, but is also starting to be used in other subject areas. If you are conducting a systematic review then the library could help you: How can we help with your systematic review? [Video, 21 minutes] The library has also created a reading list of systematic review resources . If you would like further help...

CC BY 3.0 original source Yesterday afternoon we welcomed many of our PhD researchers to a Thesis Forum webinar on the challenges and benefits of studying part-time or at a distance. We had participants from across the UK and all over the world (Toronto, Singapore, Istanbul, Denmark and Israel among others!). We listened to speakers from the schools of Education, Modern Languages and Archaeology & Ancient History as they discussed their own experience of pursuing a PhD while juggling family life, part-time work and living away from Leicester. There was much lively discussion in the Chat section between our distance learners on topics such as accessing resources, communicating with supervisors, and dealing with isolation. A recording of the session is available here  (Leicester login needed) The Thesis Forum will return in the summer term. If you would like to participate or have suggestions for a topic to discuss, please contact Helen

*WEBINAR INSTRUCTIONS* The webinar will use Adobe Connect. You will not need any specific software, however, you will need speakers or a headset to hear the webinar, and you can participate in discussion by typed chat. Adobe Connect works fine on Windows and Macs, and any browser. Use with a Linux computer may be possible but is not recommended due to uncertain results. For best results, follow these steps: 1) Make sure any required equipment is physically plugged into your computer first, then launch your browser and go to: https://connect.le.ac.uk/februaryforum 2) Select Enter as Guest , type your name, and click Connect . It may take a minute or so for Adobe Connect to load up, and you will be in the meeting room. 3) Under 'Meeting' at the upper left, select Audio Setup Wizard. Go through the wizard, making sure everything works. Please note that Audio Setup Wizard should be done every time you come into a meeting. It is a good idea to try these steps in advance of the ...