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Research Support: Postgraduate/Research Support Programme

Research support guide for faculty and students.

Postgraduate/Research Support Programme

                       

LIBRARY: POSTGRADUATE/RESEARCH SUPPORT PROGRAMME

Overview         

This training programme equips postgraduate students with advanced information literacy skills to locate, evaluate, and use library resources for research and scholarly writing. It fosters independent research and ethical information use, enhancing critical thinking and analytical abilities.

Objectives

With this training programme, Wits Libraries seek to:

  • Equip Postgraduate students with the necessary skills to independently use the library and its resources 
  • Enhance research and information literacy skills for lifelong learning 
  • Promote awareness and effective use of library services, resources and facilities

Learning outcomes

At the end of these training sessions, students are expected to be equipped with the necessary skills to:

  • Develop effective research strategies – Formulate research questions, identify key concepts, and construct efficient search strategies to retrieve relevant academic sources.
  • Navigate library resources – Utilise the library’s catalogue, databases, and digital repositories to locate scholarly articles, theses, and other academic materials.
  • Critically evaluate information – Assess the credibility, relevance, and reliability of various information sources, including peer-reviewed literature and grey literature.
  • Manage research data and references – Use reference management tools (e.g., EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero) to organise citations and format references correctly in academic writing.
  • Apply advanced information literacy skills – Effectively use Boolean operators, citation tracking, and advanced search techniques to enhance literature reviews and systematic research.
  • Understand open access and scholarly publishing – Identify reputable journals, differentiate between open-access and subscription-based publishing, and recognise predatory journals.
  • Practice ethical research and academic integrity – Adhere to academic integrity principles by correctly citing sources, avoiding plagiarism, and understanding copyright and fair use policies.