About STAR

What is STAR?

STAR (Skills to Advance Your Research) is a web-based resource which has been designed to support postgraduate research students. It aims to help students to develop skills needed for research and writing of the thesis and other associated scholarly work. It provides access both to resources which students can use on a self-help basis to develop a particular skill or know-how, and to places or people who can help in gaining the know-how. Some of these resources are available in print, some online, and some are face to face workshops. It should be remembered that the resources available are intended to complement the advice received from supervisors, not to replace their advice and guidance.

Why was STAR developed?

There are many different resources and learning opportunities available for research degree students, both within UTS and externally, but these are provided in a range of places and locations and are sometimes difficult to locate and access. STAR provides a one-stop shop for postgraduate research degree students who wish to enhance specific research skills or to access key resources and guidelines to help in their work.

What is included in STAR

The STAR website provides self-directed access to a number of resources which are listed under specific sections on the STAR home page. These sections are not intended to be linear or chronological - a student may find him/herself referring to various resources from each of the sections at any stage of his/her degree. We want our research degree students to have access to the best possible range of online resources, so there are many links to resources outside the University.

Criteria for inclusion

All resources included in the STAR website were assessed by experienced research student supervisors, ensuring that resources included are:

• authoritative
• relevant to purposes of research students
• well designed in terms of presentation of information
• accurate and up-to-date
• appropriate to UTS
• accurate as at time of assessment
• relevant to needs and expectations
• timely in terms of UTS students
• demonstrably useful

Who can access STAR?

STAR is a free service provided by the University Graduate School, and is available to and accessible by all UTS postgraduate research degree students using UTS computer facilities on campus and when they access the network externally.