P10 - Shining a light on the doctorate project: Visualising the research structure and processes using creative connections

Understanding how the pieces of the research project inform each other can often challenge doctorate candidates to understand how these pieces fit together. At Nottingham Trent University, we created an intervention that helps doctorate candidates make connections with the various pieces of their research project, through a visual platform.  The purpose of this poster is to share with colleagues this unique tool, simple and easy to use, tactile, visual and as one user of the tool commented: “it makes you think at a deeper level.”  The tool is versatile, as it can be used at any stage of the research project, and at the surface and sub-surface levels to different pieces of the research project. The tool works with a set of cards; cards can be subject specific, for example, philosophical position, methodology and ethics, etc. This tool enables doctorate candidates to get a clear picture of their research project and helps supervisors to gain a clearer understanding of what the candidate is trying to achieve. We are also seeking potential partners to undertake research with us in using this tool on their doctoral programmes.