A brief introduction to the triangle of research support i.e. between research support librarians, PhD students and academic supervisors.

1. Fiona Still-Drewett, RUL 2013

2. 
Delamont et al Delamont, S., Atkinson, P., & Parry, O., (eds)
2004, Supervising the doctorate : a guide to success, 2nd
edn, Society for Research into Higher Education : Open
University Press, London.
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“Whatever the discipline, the doctoral student
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“It is easy to overestimate the level of library
skills that students have”
has to get to grips with the literature, and
learn how to find it, read it, assimilate it and
write about it”

3. 
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Macauley & McKnight in Bartlett, A., & Mercer, G.
(eds) 2001, Postgraduate research supervision :
transforming (r)elations, P. Lang, New York.
“Libraries play a key role in ensuring the
success of students and, therefore, the
success of universities”.
They propose a much closer collaboration
among librarians, postgraduate research
students, and their supervisors, and talk of
three way partnership.

4. In our experience at RUL:
PG Students often lack knowledge of the basics such
as ILL services, advanced keyword searches, the
research databases, thesis submission guidelines,
and location of the subject specialist librarians

5. 
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The Research appointment – one on one, librarian
keeps record of visits – date and content, librarian
alerts student to new or additional research
material
Impart Information literacy skills
Literature survey: aid in finding relevant materials
both print and e, and all prior research in the
subject area
Referencing & citing e.g. bibliographic
management tools such as Refworks to aid in
managing and organising information

6. 
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Thesis submission guidelines on RUL website
Assist the academic supervisor in keeping up to
date with evolving information technologies and
services. Supervisors can lack necessary
information skills to keep up to date in their fields
Letters of introduction to other university libraries
so as to enable the post graduate students access
to research collections

7. 
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Introducing the student to the relevant library staff
Setting up training sessions with the subject
specialist library staff
Aid in Collection development via ordering of
resources from departmental library budgets
and/or motivating for new resources
Stay abreast of latest research in their field, and
have knowledge of: new information technologies,
research analysis tools, publishing dos and don’ts,
issues around open access, and means of collegial
networking and collaboration