Research skills and critical thinking workshops
Our research skills and critical thinking workshops are aimed at taught course students from all departments.
Workshops are delivered either as face-to-face in the Library Skills Room on Level 1 of the Information Commons (unless stated otherwise) or online using Blackboard Collaborate.
Workshops calendar
View full calendar of workshops and events for the semester
Research skills for Dissertations Masterclass
- Research skills for Dissertations Masterclass
-
Are you working on your dissertation or research project? Sign up to the Library’s Research Skills for Dissertations Masterclass. This extended webinar combines a range of short sessions covering the following topics, delivered by staff from the Library and 301: Academic Skills Centre:
- Searching for and discovering information
- Referencing tips and tricks
- Planning your dissertation (301: Academic Skills Centre)
- Discovering and using images and infographics
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Please note that workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
Library Guide to support dissertations
Research Skills and Critical Thinking online tutorials, videos and guides
Research skills and critical thinking workshops
Discovering
- Getting the most out of StarPlus
-
This session will focus on how to use StarPlus in the most effective way to discover your recommended reading, search for further reading, filter your results, generate citations and make full use of your library account to start organising your references.
We also offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
- Searching for Information: a Masterclass
-
In this session you will learn how to use databases to find the best resources for your independent research project in order to achieve the highest marks.
You will consider your information needs and have the opportunity to create an effective search strategy to produce a manageable set of relevant results.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Where do I search for academic information for my course and research?
- Discovering and Using Images, Graphs, Charts and Figures
-
In this session we cover how copyright applies to images and figures, and introduce the different Creative Commons licenses. You will also find out where to discover images and figures that can be reused and how to attribute creators correctly when you reuse them.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Discovering and using images, graphs, charts and figures
Understanding and questioning images using the five-step process
Guidance for taught course students inserting images and figures into university work
- Discovering and Using Digital Primary Archives
-
In this session you will find out more about the digital primary archive collections the University Library provides access to and how you can get the best out of them. From newspaper archives to feminist zines - find out more about the resources you can discover from home. This session is delivered by one of the Arts and Humanities Librarians.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
- How to Impress the Employer Using Commercial Awareness
-
Commercial awareness is one of the most sought after attributes employers look for but do you know what it means?
This workshop, delivered by staff from the Careers Service and the Library will explain what it really means to have commercial awareness, how it can help you in your next steps after University and how you can prove you have it.
This session will include some interactivity, introducing you to tools and resources you can use to think commercially and improve your skills in this broad area.
Please note that workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Understanding
- Using ebooks Effectively
-
Want to get the best out of ebooks? This session provides an overview of their benefits, functionality and applications. You leave the session able to make efficient and effective use of our collection of online titles.
There are no sessions currently scheduled, but you can express your interest in future sessions.
We also offer the following online tutorials, videos, and guides:
Questioning
- Questioning and Evaluating Information
-
In this session you will consider how to critically evaluate information when undertaking independent research.
You will question different types of information and develop a critical approach, considering a range of questions and using the tools and data available to apply this to relevant resources.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
What is critical thinking and why is it important?
- Reading For Diversity Reading Groups
-
The Library has teamed up with BookSoc, Sheffield University’s book society, to create a programme of Reading for Diversity reading groups.
These will take place throughout the year and are often timed to celebrate awareness months and/ or compliment exhibitions in the Digital Exhibition Space on Level One of the Information Commons.
This programme provides an opportunity for students to come together to critically engage with, reflect on, and discuss books from diverse and often underrepresented voices and perspectives.
Books are chosen by University of Sheffield students, and all shortlisted and discussed books are added to the Reading for Diversity Leganto Reading list, available as both print and copies via StarPlus, the Library catalogue, where possible.
Black History Month Reading Group: 'Homegoing' by Yaa Gyasi
Please book using the link below:
- Decolonise Your Information Searching
-
In this reflective and practical session, you will explore issues around how certain types of knowledge and information sources have been valued over others, leading to omissions of marginalised perspectives in research.
With your peers, you will have the opportunity to identify and discuss strategies to address these imbalances. You will then have the opportunity to practise applying these strategies to your own information searching.
Referencing
- Referencing and Preventing Plagiarism
-
This session introduces the essentials of referencing, the concept of plagiarism and how it can be avoided, and gives you an opportunity to practice referencing in your departmental style. The session will also provide an overview of useful citation tools for this process.
We also offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
- Using Reference Management Software: An Introduction
-
This session looks at preventing plagiarism and referencing correctly using reference management software. You will gain an overview of the software and how to use it to manage your references, including editing the output where necessary.
To attend this session you need to have an understanding of the core aspects of referencing and plagiarism – take the plagiarism and referencing quiz or attend our referencing and preventing plagiarism workshop.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Creating
- Producing Presentations: An Introduction
-
This session looks at how you can create accessible, effective slides for your presentation and gives you the opportunity to explore different presentation software.
If you wish to learn more about the planning and delivering stages of your presentation, our colleagues at 301 Academic Skills Centre provide workshops and online resources.
There are no sessions currently scheduled, but you can express your interest in future sessions.
We also offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
- Creating Websites Using Google Sites: An Introduction
-
This session will provide you with some top tips for getting started using Google Sites and give you the opportunity to work through guided activities to start creating a simple website of your own.
You will learn the basics of setting up and structuring a Google Site, adding content, and publishing your site.
Please note that workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
Disseminating
- Blogging: From Concept to Communication
-
This session will introduce an awareness of the benefits and purposes of blogging and provide experience of identifying and practising a succinct writing style that is appropriate for blogging.
You will also receive all the information you need to help you choose the blogging platform that is right for you. During the session you’ll also take the first steps in creating a blog; developing your ideas and starting to draft your first blog post.
There are no sessions currently scheduled, but you can express your interest in future sessions.
We also offer the following online tutorials, videos, and guides:
- Infographics: An Introduction
-
Infographics are a visual representation of information, data or knowledge. In this session we introduce infographics and how they can be used to communicate and share a summary or results of your research. You will also have the opportunity to create an infographic using one of the digital tools available.
Please note that further workshop dates may be added later in the teaching semester.
We offer the following complementary online tutorials, videos and guides:
All online webinars are delivered using Blackboard Collaborate. Please see the Blackboard Collaborate accessibility statement statement and the Library accessibility statement.
If you are a postgraduate research student please see the Doctoral Development Programme workshops.
Remember to review and record your skills development in your mySkills portfolio.
Attendance at our research skills and critical thinking workshops can count towards your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) through the Academic Skills Certificate.