Latest Research Methods eBulletin

Including:

• 4th ESRC Research Methods Festival
• Revised Framework for Research Ethics (FRE) now available online
• Five student bursaries available to attend Social Simulation Summer School in Italy

And more!
Research Methods eBulletin - March 2010

Nottingam postgrad intern's blog

Debanjan Sengupta, a Masters student currently studying Applied Biomolecular Technology at Nottingham has been given the opportunity to blog about his experiences as an intern at P&G in their R&D Femcare department at Schwalbach, Germany.

http://www.pgcareers.com/default.asp?page=185&b=31

Imagination and Innovation: Call for papers

Issue 14 of eSharp will explore the potential of the human imagination in generating innovation, creation and new developments. From technological advances to the formation of various media, the inventive capacity of the human mind has shaped our history and our world in countless ways.

As a creative force, imagination produces developments in a broad variety of contexts, which range from human systems and societies to the landscapes which we inhabit. Enquiries into the nature of ‘imagination’ itself by philosophers, theologians and psychologists from various periods have enhanced our understanding of this entity. Reforms in the fields of Education, Medicine and Politics rely on ‘thinking outside the box’, while rapid growth in media and intellectual property requires new legislation and legal expertise.

This issue invites contributions which explore creative responses to the challenges encountered by humanity throughout its collective existence, with reference to progressive movements in technology, policy, education and art.
Subjects may include, but are not limited to:

• the fantastic or imaginative in art and literature
• literary and/or pictorial representations of the human imagination
  - the history and development of concepts concerning the imagination
• innovation and education
• creativity and the use of the imagination by children
• legal responses to media and communications development
• technological innovation and emerging industries
• the social implications of new technologies
• election campaigns and their appeal to the voter’s imagination
• marketing, advertising and the use of imagination in business

Submissions must be based on original research and should be between 4,000 and 6,000 words in length. These should be made in Word document or RTF format. Please ensure that you accompany your article with an abstract of 200 to 250 words and a list of three to five keywords to indicate the subject area of your article.

A full online list of guidelines and our style sheet are available. Submissions and enquiries should be sent to submissions@esharp.org.uk.

The deadline for submissions is 1 September 2009

New podcast: Was Richard II a tyrant?

For 600 years, historians have been discussing the weaknesses of King Richard's character: his vanity, his superstitious nature, his capacity for self-delusion, his vindictiveness, his duplicity, his disregard for his subjects, his favouritism, his self-indulgence, his reliance on bad counsel, his lack of manliness, his fickleness, his introspection, his coldness and lack of social skills, his insecurity, his paranoia, his insanity and, of course, his megalomania.

But Richard, for his part, certainly didn't see himself as a tyrant. In fact he offered himself up as a champion against tyranny. Terry Jones discusses whether Richard II was simply misunderstood.

Terry Jones is an director, writer, actor and TV presenter best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team and for presenting television documentaries on medieval and ancient history. As an author he has written books including 'Barbarians', 'Who Murdered Chaucer?', as well as children's books, 'Fairy Tales and Fantastic Stories' and 'Erik the Viking'.

Click here to listen to the podcast

The Good Supervision Video

The quality of your relationship with your supervisor or supervisors can be crucial to the progress of your PhD. Should you think of your supervisor as your teacher, your friend, an authority figure or a resource for your use? And what should you do if you are not getting the support you need?

This video by Angel Productions and Birkbeck, University of London, will help students in all institutions and all disciplines to get the best from their supervisors, and could also help supervisors to develop their skills.

To view this video you will need to be logged on to the University's network.

www.nottingham.ac.uk/gradschool/local/good-supervision-a.phtml

New podcast: Researching in external organisations

Dr Pru Hobson-West, Senior Research Fellow in the Institute for Science and Society, talks about her experience of researching in external organisations. This talk was one of the Graduate School's Feed your Mind informal lunchtime seminars.

Click here to listen to the podcast

new podcasts available online - Impact on Policy: What can Researchers do?

Professor Philip Cowley from the School of Politics & International Relations talks about engaging with the world outside of academia.

Click here to listen to the podcast