Your Research Practice

This theme is about how you work and carry out your role as an academic researcher. It includes support for writing and publication and key aspects of research management.

To support your development around this theme you could:

Use the 'Research' domain on Vitae's Researcher Development Framework (RDF) to evaluate your current strengths and areas for development.
Attend Research and Innovation workshops (available to book via our Training & Development page) - including support for funding and open access. All courses are mapped against the Vitae RDF. You can also check out our RI Support for the Research Lifecycle which includes Research Integrity and Open Research.
Complete our Trusted Research online learning modules - Introduction (essential) and Advanced available via LearnUpon.
Check out UKRIO’s webinar series on Research Integrity and related issues (register for new webinars and watch past ones).
Explore some of the research practice resources below...

Research Practice resource bank:

Funding and Finance

General guidance on academic research funding and developing a research proposal (Vitae).
The Good Application Guide (Innovate UK).
From draft to grant: Funding in academia (Confessions of an Early Career Researcher podcast episode)
Developing Big Bids Toolkit: for researchers on the journey toward submitting their first big bid, as well as those with prior experience who want to hone their knowledge and skills (UKRI Future Leaders Fellows Development Network).

Writing and Publishing

Writing Skills - explore elearning resources for ECRs (Elsevier Writing Academy).
What is open access? - THE podcast.
Think. Check. Submit. - a tool to promote integrity and help you identify trusted publishers.
Pointers on writing and publishing for academics - THE podcast.
Academic publishing today: what you need to know - a guide to today's changing academic world.

Inclusive Research

Ensure you have completed our UoH essential EDI modules on LearnUpon.
Understand more about the Fundamentals of Inclusive Research with this online tutorial (National Centre for Research Methods).
Explore these EDI discussion prompts for research project teams (Vitae).
Learn to embed inclusive practices with this EDI Toolkit full of practical guidance for project planning and funding proposals (C-DICE).
Place people at the forefront with the Valuing Voices Tool, supporting you to design and deliver equitable and responsible research projects.
Check out UKRIO's Guidance for inclusive research and innovation practice.

Using AI to support your research

Be responsible - consider the potential risks AI poses to research integrity with this guide to embracing AI with integrity (UKRIO).
Be transparent - you can use the AIR Framework (Electv Training 2026) to help think through and describe your use of AI.
Remember - any use of AI should enhance (not replace) your insights, originality and critical thinking as a researcher.
Find out more via the university's AI Hub (coming soon!) - a central source of info and support for all staff.