Training Needs Analysis (TNA): Skills Audit and Development Plan

Training Needs Analysis (TNA): Skills Audit and Development Plan

INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE

For Research Students:

·  Doing a skills audit allows you to evaluate your existing research methods expertise and research skills,

·  It also helps you and your supervisor to identify your researcher development needs and make a plan for the year ahead.

·  To find out what is available beyond your department, start at www.socsci.ox.ac.uk/training.

·  Arrange a meeting to discuss your skills audit with your supervisor.

·  Upload your completed skills audit and training plan to the Graduate Supervision System (GSS) once agreed with your supervisor.

For Supervisor:

·  Dedicate time to reviewing your student's skills audit and priorities with them.

·  Help them identify a realistic set of targets for for this year. Agree some deadlines.

·  Consider training and resources available through the department, www.socsci.ox.ac.uk/training, and online.

·  Write down your comments to summarise any advice, guidance, and suggested next steps.

·  Keep a copy of this form for your own records.

Name: / Supervisor(s):
Department:
Funder, if applicable:
Pathway, if applicable (e.g. Area Studies, Migration, Politics): / Current programme of study:

PREVIOUS TRAINING AND WORK EXPERIENCE

List your previous research methods training and professional research experience relevant to your current research plans and topic of study.

1. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:

Assess your competence in the core and subject-specific research skills that you will need for your research.
In particular, assess your confidence/expertise in
i) principles of research design,
ii) principles of data collection,
iii) principles of data analysis and
iv) specific disciplinary methods and techniques of advanced data analysis as defined by your field (eg software for data analysis) / List your priorities for training in research design and methods training over the coming year, if these are not covered by your department's training provision.
Are there specific skills you think you will need help with, or that you would like to develop further?

2. DATA MANAGEMENT

Assess your competence and training in preparing and checking data, coding data and safe data storage. / Will you need training in data management?

3. FIELDWORK

Assess your competence in carrying out fieldwork: have you received training on safety in fieldwork and carrying out a risk assessment? / What safety issues will your fieldwork raise? What skills or training might you need?

4. BIBLIOGRAPHIC AND COMPUTING SKILLS:

Assess your research and technical skills: including your confidence in using bibliographic tools, writing literature reviews, and web-based research / Should you seek to improve your skills in this area over the year(s) ahead?

5. TEACHING:

What teaching experience, if any, have you gained in lecturing, seminar teaching, tutorials etc. Have you received any training or preparation in order to teach? / What teaching and supervisory experience (and training) would be beneficial?

6. LANGUAGE SKILLS

Assess your language skills if other languages are needed for research / What language training might you need?

7. ENGAGEMENT, KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND IMPACT

What experience have you had of identitfying the non-academic benefits of your research. Have you developed collaboration and partnership skills, entrepeneurship and enterprise skills, policy writing skills, or skills in public engagement and 'knowledge exchange' ? / Think about ways your research could contribute to society or influence work being done outside of academia. What skills or training might you need?

8. WRITING AND PUBLICATIONS:

Assess your writing skills: including your academic writing skills, conference and workshop presentation skills. List any report writing, policy briefs, academic publishing, blogging, book reviewing, funding proposals, peer reviewing and journal editing experience. / Alongside your dissertation, what other publication and writing projects do you plan to pursue? What training or support would help you do so?

9. COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING SKILLS

Assess your academic writing skills, conference presentation experience and skills, web writing skills, and other non-academic writing skills relevant to your research? Please also evaluate your public engagement skills / What opportunities should you seek in order to develop your confidence and communication skills?What training might you need to do so?

10. RESEARCH LEADERSHIP & PROJECT PLANNING

Assess your expertise and training in project management, in finding research funding, in working in research collaborations and other forms of academic networking. / What opportunities do you plan to gain in these areas during this year and throughout your DPhil? Eg applying for grants, running events, editing journals. Do you have ideas for new research initiatives or collaborations? What skills or training might you need?

11. PERSONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Indicate your engagement in career planning and employability. Have you any post-doctoral career plans? / Are there areas of personal effectiveness you would like to develop? What are these and how best can you pursue this?

RESEARCH METHODS TRAINING AND TARGETS FOR THIS YEAR

OTHER RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SKILLS OBJECTIVES FOR THIS YEAR

OTHER COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, CONCERNS?

Please confirm that you have discussed your audit with your supervisor. ☐