Research
Information for PGR students on conducting research at Sheffield.
Good academic practice
All research students are expected to comply with the University’s policy on Good Research & Innovation Practices (GRIP), which can be found on the Research Ethics and Integrity homepage.
The policy sets out the University’s expectations for how research should be undertaken, from start to finish, and applies to everyone involved in carrying out and supporting research. It sets out expected good practice in each key aspect of research from planning and designing projects through to achieving impactful outcomes.
Everyone involved in research, including students, is expected to raise issues if they encounter something which concerns them.
Preventing harm in research (safeguarding)
All research students are expected to comply with the University’s policy on Preventing Harm in Research & Innovation (Safeguarding), which can be found on the University’s Research Ethics and Integrity website.
The policy sets out the University’s duty of care to all individuals involved in or affected by its research activities, and sets a clear expectation that exploitation, abuse and harm are not tolerated. Researchers are required to consider the potential risks of harm to individuals involved in/affected by their research and to take appropriate steps to mitigate these, including ensuring that there are appropriate mechanisms in place for safeguarding concerns to be reported.
Ethical approval
If a student plans to do research involving human participants, whether directly or indirectly, (eg interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, observations), accessing personal data about individuals (including via social media), or collecting/using any human biological materials, then the research must normally be independently ethically reviewed and approved before the student begins data gathering.
The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that this takes place. Failure to gain ethics approval when required may result in the student's dissertation or thesis being failed or deemed ineligible for submission. Guidance on when ethics approval is required, the different routes for obtaining ethics approval, and when each applies, is available from the University's Research Ethics website. This site contains the University's Research Ethics Policy and broader guidance on ethical issues.
Research governance approval for health and social care research
Health and social care research involving the NHS or social care services is required to follow the University’s Research Governance Procedure, which ensures that appropriate approvals are in place in line with the UK policy framework for health and social care research. Further information about the Procedure, and when it applies, can be found on the University’s Research Governance website.
Research data management and Data Management Plans
The University’s Policy on Good Research & Innovation Practices (GRIP) sets out how all researchers, including PGR students, should manage data generated by research projects. Research data are diverse and vary enormously between disciplines, but broadly speaking, they are the evidence used to support or inform research conclusions. All students must plan how they will manage the data they will create and gather by writing a compulsory Data Management Plan.
Data must be recorded accurately and systematically, and managed appropriately throughout the research project. This includes (but is not limited to) the creation, processing, analysis, preservation, access to and reuse of research data.
Data should be shared with at least one other person (e.g. the supervisor) throughout the research process to minimise the risk of data loss. Most major funders, notably UKRI, the EU and major UK charities, require research data underpinning publications, including student theses, to be made publicly available for re-use (unless restrictions on the release of data are necessary for ethical or legal reasons). A statement indicating where the underlying data can be found should be included in all publications.
The University encourages all researchers to make their research data discoverable by recording details in its research data catalogue, ORDA, with a link to where it is stored.
Data Management Plans are compulsory for all students who commenced their research programme from the 2019/20 academic year onwards and are reviewed at Confirmation Review. Students should refer to the information on Data Management Plans and should consider using the DMP online tool.
For more information on Research Data Management please refer to the Library's website.
For information on the University's Policy on Good Research & Innovation Practice (GRIP) please refer to the website.
ORCID IDs
Setting up an ORCID ID
An ORCID ID is a unique identifier that you can use to easily distinguish your work from that of other researchers. For PGR students and early career researchers, an ORCID can be especially valuable in boosting your research profile and helping you to establish your academic network.
Benefits of an ORCID ID include:
- It clearly distinguishes you and your work from that of other researchers with the same or a similar name.
- It stays with you throughout your career, wherever in the world you work.
- When added to your email signature, online profiles, and outputs, an ORCID makes it easier for others in your field to identify and access all your outputs, including publications, conference presentations, posters, datasets, and more. This may lead to increased engagement with your work and new collaborations.
- It enables you to showcase community activities such as society membership or conducting peer reviews, ensuring
credit for all your academic work. - Your ORCID ID can be used when applying for funding and jobs, and when submitting proposals for conferences, articles
and more, enabling funders, employers and editors to see the full picture of your academic work and outputs.
View a short video from ORCID on the benefits of setting up an ORCID ID.
How to register
- Go to https://orcid.org/register
- Complete the registration form using any of your email addresses (you can add other email addresses later to your profile). If you experience any problems at this stage, see the ORCID help page.
- Go to your email and verify your address.
Populating your ORCID profile
Once you have set up your ID, you can begin to populate it. You can choose what information you would like to add - any sections
you leave blank will simply not appear on the public version of your profile. You can also use the visibility icon next to each item
to decide who can see that part of your profile.
For guidance on how to populate your profile, including how to configure your ORCID profile to automatically keep your list of
outputs and grants up to date using information from publishers and funders, view this short video from the University Library.
Creating and using an ORCID ID
Instant messaging in research
The University has introduced new guidance for staff and students on using instant messaging tools for research projects.
The full guidance is available here.
Transferring and disposing of research data at the end of your degree
It is the responsibility of all postgraduate research students to ensure that they review and move, delete or transfer ownership of any data they have collected during their time at the University. Please read the detailed guidance on how to do this and take the appropriate steps to manage your research data.
Transferring and disposing of your research data at the end of your degree
Managing security-sensitive research
The UK Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 imposes a duty on universities to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. This requires the University to have appropriate arrangements in place for staff or students working on sensitive or extremism-related research. The University’s ‘Policy and process for managing security-sensitive research’ can be found on the Research Ethics and Integrity website.
Policy for managing security-sensitive research
Rights and responsibilities of students
All students of the University have a number of rights and responsibilities and should take the time to familiarise themselves with the University’s expectations.
Upon registration, all students must commit to abide by the University’s Regulations and to observe the Code of Practice relating to Health and Safety.
There are also expectations regarding acceptable conduct and behaviour of all students and the University reserves the right to take action against any student whose behaviour is judged to be unacceptable.
All students and University staff are expected to behave in a way that respects and takes account of the diversity of the University community and the values of truth, toleration and justice.
Students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:
- Our Commitment
- Student Code of Conduct
- Statement of Expectations for Postgraduate Researchers and Supervisors
- Social media guidance
Induction
School induction
School induction arrangements for PGR students commonly involve some, or all, of the following:
- A meeting with, or presentation by, key staff in the school (eg PGR Lead and other relevant staff members such as key administrative staff)
- An initial meeting with supervisors
- A tour of the school facilities
- Provision of a PGR handbook and the University's Code of Practice for Research Degrees
- Presentations on issues such as health and safety
- A meeting with PGR student representatives and/or a buddy/mentor
- A welcome social event (often involving staff and existing PGRs)
Essential practice
Schools, rather than individual supervisors, should be responsible for the induction of new postgraduate research students, to ensure consistency (eg the PGR Lead, School Manager, or other appropriate member of staff with a key PGR role should be involved in the induction of all students). All new postgraduate research students should be provided with a school handbook or equivalent at induction and a copy of the Code Of Practice for Research Degree Programmes.
All new PGR students should also be made aware of the structure of the school and introduced to key members of staff (eg Head of School, PGR Lead, postgraduate support officers), as part of their induction programme.
Desirable practice
- It is desirable for existing PGR students to be involved in the induction of new PGR students (e.g. through a 'buddy' system or an open question and answer session).
- An induction session specifically dealing with cultural issues for international students could be particularly helpful, especially if such sessions involved existing international PGR students rather than academic staff.
- It is helpful for new PGR students to be provided with an induction checklist on which different aspects of the induction could be signed off when complete. The three-month review meeting for the Doctoral Development Programme (DDP) could be used as an appropriate opportunity to check that all requirements have been met. This could be particularly useful for cross-sessional students, whose induction may not be as structured as those starting in September/October.
Standardised inclusive practices across PGR programmes
Resources for international students
The International Student Success programme is a free online resource with practical guidance and support for all new international students. The programme is developed by Epigeum (part of SAGE Publishing) in collaboration with the University of Sheffield and aims to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and understanding that are central to preparing for, and adjusting to, university life in the UK.
International Student Success Programme
Physical, social and research environment
Postgraduate research students must have access to the facilities necessary for them to achieve success in their studies. This does not necessarily mean that they will all have their own designated desk space within their school, and it should be noted that the specific requirements of students do vary significantly between subject disciplines and even at different stages of their research project.
Schools would normally provide some or all of the following facilities for their PGR students, although these will often be shared with other users:
- Access to desk space and computer facilities (designated facilities are often provided where required by the student). The student should complete a DSE assessment within the first 2 weeks as part of their compulsory training.
- Laboratory space if required according to the discipline.
- Kitchen and social and/or meeting space.
- Access to discipline-specific technical support.
- Access to shared printers, photocopier and phones.
- Access to storage facilities (including some lockable storage).
For disabled students in receipt of a Learning Support Plan, bespoke arrangements for their working environment may be
required. DDSS will communicate with schools to discuss and agree implementation.
In addition, schools provide PGRs with a wide range of formal and informal mechanisms designed to better integrate them with other PGR students and with the school research environment, for example:
- Regular school research seminars
- Regular PGR student seminars at which students can hear about each other’s research and practice presenting their own work, and/or hear from internal or external speakers
- Research training modules accessible to, or specifically for, PGRs (covering key research skills and/or skills for successful completion of a research degree)
- Social events (e.g. induction networking, informal coffee & cakes, Summer and Christmas parties)
Planning for time abroad
The University has a duty of care to protect, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its staff and students. At times, due to the necessity to carry out activities away from the University, either in the United Kingdom or overseas, students might conduct work and other activities in locations not under university control, but the University still remains responsible for them and others exposed to their activities.
As such, it is essential that students keep their supervisor and school informed of when they will be spending time away from Sheffield, and where they will be.
It is important that careful thought is given not only to the research data collection but also to the potential issues and problems that could arise. High standards of health and safety in fieldwork are paramount and therefore the University strongly advises that discussions should take place between the student, supervisor(s) and the school about measures that can be taken to ensure the student’s wellbeing. This should be in plenty of time before travelling to be able to plan appropriately.
What you need to do if you intend to work / research internationally
The University has a request process that applies to all staff and PGR students. You can view the International Working Hub for
information. There are 3 stages each explaining the steps you need to take. A summary is detailed below, however you should
always refer to the website guidance.
1) Planning
- Check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for your destination.
- Check travel advice, entry requirements
- Check your own visa restrictions if you are currently in the UK on a student visa. - Check whether your destination is classified as a high risk destination by our insurer.
- Check export controls.
- Does your research fall within export control regulations?
- Do you need an export license for your work or anything you are taking? If so you must apply for a license by law. - Get a ballpark estimate of the cost, and check budgets / whether it is within your grant terms by speaking to your P.I.
- NOTE: destination and export control requirements can increase the timescale for approval to travel. Do not book any travel until you have had authorisation.
- NOTE: PGRs who are staff candidates only:
- If the international trip is 28 days or more, OR they are a national of the travel destination, they should also complete the International Working Tax form.
- Complete the international travel request and risk assessment form.
- You must get approval from your supervisor.
- Exception: PGRs who are Staff candidates employed by the university (but not casually nor as a GTA) must complete the form as a member of staff, and get their line manager approval. - Depending on the nature of your trip, it may be necessary to have additional senior levels of approval.
3) Book your trip - arranging international working
- You must have approval, then you can book.
- You must book accommodation and travel in accordance with the Business Travel and Related Expenses policy (e.g. no Airbnb).
- After booking, you must get University Travel insurance (follow the links on the Travel Hub page).
- Ensure IT and devices meet information security when travelling rules.
- Note if travelling to China, you must get a secure loan laptop and phone from ITS service desk.