Research Support Program
Research Support Program
Overview
The Research Support Program (RSP) assists first year graduate researchers to develop the high-level skills needed to complete an outstanding thesis.
What does the RSP aim to do?
The RSP is comprised of a series of fortnightly seminars designed to encourage new graduate researchers to think in an informed and creative way about their work and the work of others. The content of the program is split between seminars that aim to assist new researchers to acquire specific skills, such as formulating and refining research questions and communicating effectively about their research, and seminars that introduce ‘specialist’ approaches to legal research and scholarship, led by MLS academics. The overall aim of the RSP is to provide a welcoming and supportive environment in which graduate researchers can develop confidence, skills and a collegial research community.
The co-ordinator of the 2023 RSP is Professor Kristen Rundle. Kristen can be contacted by phone on 8344 4883 or email.
To accommodate the needs of students currently outside of Melbourne, in 2022 Kristen will be convening the seminars in a blended format (in-person and online). All seminars are informal, with an emphasis on active participation and discussion.
Unless otherwise advised, seminars will be held on:
Thursdays from 2.00 pm - 4.00pm in weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11 (both semesters);
Wednesday 3 May (semester 1, week 9) 2.00pm - 4.00pm in Room 224 .
RSP Seminar Schedule
2023 Research Support Program
Thursdays 2.00 - 4.00pm in weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 in Room 920 (both semesters);
Wednesday 3 May (Semester 1, week 9) 3.00 - 5.00pm in Room 224.
Date | Session | Speaker/s |
|---|---|---|
Semester 1 | ||
| March 2 | [I & II] Introduction to the RSP | Kristen Rundle |
| March 16 | [I & II] Asking Better Research Questions | Sundhya Pahuja |
March 30 |
[I] Topic Selection & Framing: Mapping the experience [II] Topic Selection & Framing: What Might Change, and Why? | Kristen Rundle + 2nd / 3rd / 4th year graduate researcher volunteers |
| April 20 |
[I] Common Law Research Methods [II] Comparative Research Methods |
Jason Varuhas Sarah Biddulph & Lulu Weiss |
| May 3 (Wednesday, Room 224) | [I & II] Empirical Research Methods | Alysia Blackham |
| May 18 |
[I] Approaches to indigenous legal research and scholarship [II] Interdisciplinary Approaches: Law and Economics / Law and History | Eddie Cubillo Amanda Porter Jianlin Chen & Will Partlett |
Date | Session | Speaker/s |
|---|---|---|
Semester 2 | ||
| July 27 |
[I] Conceptual analysis and legal research [II] Qualitative Sociolegal Research Methods: A Case Study |
Dale Smith Tess Hardy |
| August 10 |
[I] 'Critical' approaches to legal scholarship [II] Feminist approaches to legal research and scholarship |
Shaun McVeigh Ann Genovese |
| August 24 |
[I] AI-informed research methods [II] ‘Specialist’ methods: wrap up |
Rebecca Giblin & Jake Goldenfein Kristen Rundle |
| September 7 | [I & II] PhD writing workshop: The importance of structure | Chantal Morton |
| September 21 | [I & II] Evaluating Your Progress as a Graduate Researcher | Kristen Rundle |
| October 12 |
[I & II] Preparing for Confirmation: Effective Communication and Presentation |
Kristen Rundle & RSP volunteers |
You are strongly encouraged to attend as many of these seminars as you can. If you are in your first year, you are especially strongly encouraged to attend all seminars. We also recommend that you attend as many as possible of the Faculty Research Seminars.