This document summarizes the work of the Research Information Network (RIN) Working Group on Information Handling. The Working Group aims to promote better information handling skills among researchers. It is undertaking several projects, including mapping data management skills to an information literacy framework, examining supervisors' roles in developing these skills in PhD students, and establishing regional networks. The Working Group involves various partners and seeks to disseminate results through conferences, workshops and its website.

1. Information Handling for
Researchers
Towards a More
Cohesive Environment
Sheila Corrall

2. Presentation Overview
 Mind the Skills Gap
 RIN Working Group
 Areas of activity
 RDF and Seven Pillars
 promoting good practice
 data management skills
 role of PhD supervisors
 regional networks
 Dissemination
 conferences, workshops
 website, downloads

3. Mind the Skills Gap
 Study undertaken
during 2007-2008
 Mixed methodology
 literature, email survey,
interviews, case studies,
workshop, focus groups
 Multiple outputs
 report, briefing,
executive summary,
case studies, focus
groups, literature review
www.rin.ac.uk/our-work/

4. Findings and Follow Up
 Research information
skills have not kept
pace with rapid change
 Training uncoordinated
 not based on systematic
assessment of needs
 Workshop for key
training providers
 Expert workshop with
Vitae and RCUK (2009)
 led to Working Group

5. A New Advocacy Group
Working Group on Information Handling
Terms of reference
• act as a focal point for discussion of the development
of information-handling training for researchers in HE
• raise profile of such training in context of professional
development for researchers at all career stages
• advocate for greater coordination and a more strategic
approach to the provision of training across the UK
• become a collective interlocutor for research funders
and other agencies with an interest in such training
• initiate and disseminate work to develop evidence
base and advance policy and strategy at national level
• prepare joint responses to consultation exercises

6. A Coalition of Partners
Stakeholder organisations in the Working Group
 BAILER  JISC
 British Library  JORUM
 CILIP Information  RIN
Literacy Group  RLUK
 Digital Curation  SCONUL WG on IL
Centre
 UKCGE
 HE Academy
 UUK
 Information Literacy
Website  Vitae

7. RDF and Seven Pillars
Researcher Development Framework (RDF)
 New staged framework
 supports personal, professional
and career development of
researcher (novice to expert)
 Working group provided
coordinated expert input
 extending and strengthening
information literacy content
 Seven pillars to form basis
for RDF ‘information lens’
 plans for guidance booklet on
info lit elements of framework
www.vitae.ac.uk

8. Promoting Good Practice
 Collecting examples of training courses and
learning resources for the Vitae database
 see www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/34837/
Database-of-practice.htm
 Working with relevant stakeholders towards
greater coordination and a strategic approach
 e.g. Information Literacy Website, JORUM, projects
 Exploring ways of encouraging more deposits
to facilitate resource-sharing and re-use
 Investigating means of improving facilities for
effective search and retrieval of resources
 e.g. creating or adapting a taxonomy and thesaurus

9. Contributing
to the Vitae
database

10. Showcasing
good
practice
Contributing in
to the Vitae academic
database libraries

11. Data Management and
Information Literacy
Data Management Skills Support Initiative
Summary of aims and objectives
 facilitate use of the Seven Pillars Model and RDF to
plan data management skills development and training
 test effectiveness of tools in mapping and describing
DM skills and skills development paths for PG courses
 analyse and synthesise training needs and approaches
 assess tools in relation to career stages and discipline-
specific needs identified via the JISC RDMTrain projects
 assist RDMTrain projects in describing their training
materials and depositing them in relevant repositories
 produce guidance and recommendations for educators,
professional bodies, SCONUL, Vitae, JISC and others

12. Can the Seven Pillars be Used to
Define Data Management Skills?
Methods of investigation Funding, people and
and project outputs timetable
 hands-on support for  co-funded by RIN,
mapping JISC RDMTrain JISC and DCC
materials to 7P and RDF  project managed by
 on-site interviews with Joy Davidson (DCC)
RDMTrain project staff with 2 RAs
 case studies showing use  work scheduled from
of 7P and RDF to plan PG November 2010 to
data handling skills courses August 2011
 career profiles showing  mapping of DM
skills used by researchers training to 7P/RDF
Overseen by advisory board from Feb to May

13. Research Supervisors
and Information Literacy
Are PhD supervisors a ‘lost generation’?
Summary of objectives
 investigate current practices of PhD supervisors in
supporting the development of information literacy,
including their relationship with other players
 e.g. graduate schools and university libraries
 analyse variations across institutions and disciplines
 evaluate the abilities of PhD supervisors to impart
relevant skills and provide appropriate advice
 identify where improvement would be beneficial
 produce recommendations on developing best practice
and support mechanisms as a basis for an action plan

14. What is the Role of Supervisors in
Developing Information Literacy?
Methods of investigation People, timetable
and sources of data and deliverables
 desktop research on  commissioned by RIN
existing evidence in December 2010
 strategic interviews with  contract awarded to
stakeholder organisations Curtis+Cartwright
 PhD supervisor survey and Cardiff University
via online questionnaire  work scheduled for
 research student survey January-June 2011
via online questionnaire  surveys in March
 cases in April
 institutional case studies
via interviews/focus groups  draft report in May
 final report in June
Overseen by an expert panel

15. Launch of
NEW regional
network
– for people
interested in
information
handling of
researchers

16. Dissemination
Raising awareness of
information literacy needs
of researchers

17. Promoting activities of
the Working Group on
Information Handling
Dissemination

18. Dissemination
Promoting activities of
the Working Group on
Information Handling

19. Dissemination

20. Information Handling
Training for Researchers
Towards a More Cohesive Environment
 For further details, downloads and updates on
our activities, please visit
www.rin.ac.uk/info-handling-training
 For any questions or comments arising from
the presentation, please email
s.m.corrall@sheffield.ac.uk
 Thank you for listening!