Faculty Resources
Promoting Research Excellence - Workshop Series
Purpose
In partnership with the OSU Edmon Low Library, the Division of the Vice President for Research has launched a new series of workshops, Promoting Research Excellence (“PRE”) for OSU faculty. The overarching theme of the series is research integrity from inception through dissemination, addressing issues that arise during the life cycle of a research study and providing suggestions for best practices.
The intent of the workshop series, Promoting Research Excellence is to build a community of practice on being a successful scholar in an academic environment – which squarely aligns the OSU strategy to become the PREeminent land-grant university.
Topics
These workshops will provide education and training on topics such as...
- Data management (e.g., How to Write a Good Data Management Plan for a Grant Application)
- Effective research collaboration (e.g., How to Avoid Authorship Disputes)
- How to articulate your scholarly impact (e.g., How to Identify a Suitable Journal for Publication; Is Open Science a Friend or Foe?)
- Using generative AI ethically and responsibly (e.g., Ethical (?) Uses of Generative AI to Support Your Research)
- Sessions for early career faculty and graduate students (e.g., Safety Issues in Research – Safeguarding Individuals, Teams, and Projects)
Format and Audience
Workshops will be offered once a month via Zoom during the academic year (August – May). (Note: Sessions will not be recorded.)
While the series is intended for faculty, graduate students are welcome to attend sessions.
Spring 2025 Schedule
Publishing with Purpose: Choosing the Right Journal for Your Research
This workshop will guide attendees through the strategic process of selecting appropriate publication venues for their research. Participants will learn to evaluate journals using multiple criteria, from scope alignment and database coverage to identifying potential predatory practices. The session will cover practical tools for journal selection, including field-specific databases and journal finder services, while emphasizing the importance of understanding author rights and open access options.
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Online
Register: https://okstate.libcal.com/calendar/events/wheretopublish
Oops-Proof Your Data: Security and Backup 101
This session will discuss various types of data storage and associated security and preservation concerns related to each storage medium (e.g., hard drives, flash drives, the cloud). It will also cover best practices for backing up your data and ways of (potentially) recovering your data if it is lost or corrupted.
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Online
Register: https://okstate.libcal.com/event/14088359
The Research Ecosystem: Dysfunction and Reform
The academic research system faces significant challenges, including fraud, questionable research practices, paper mills, citation manipulation, predatory journals, the monopolization of academic publishing, and the overweighting of citation metrics in tenure and promotion. This workshop explores the political, economic, and institutional drivers behind these issues. We will also discuss emerging movements and practices aimed at reform, such as developing open research infrastructure, prioritizing reproducibility and transparency, devaluing proprietary and opaque rankings and impact measurements, and revising tenure guidelines to reflect shared values. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the systemic factors driving dysfunction in research, practical insights into ongoing reform initiatives, and actionable strategies for fostering integrity and positive change.
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Online
Register: https://okstate.libcal.com/event/14088379
Questions or Suggestions?
Do you have any suggestions for a workshop topic? Would you like to facilitate/lead a workshop? Email vprprograms@okstate.edu .