Researcher Training

Develop your library research skills and digital capabilities as a researcher – from database searching, managing references to publishing strategically.

Event Calendar

You can register to attend researcher training events delivered by the Library using the calendar below. Please note that we add new events regularly.

Session Details, Recordings, and Resources

Click on a tile below to find out more about our Researcher@Library sessions and access recommended resources. For webinars that have run recently, you can also view recordings.

  • This introductory workshop covers topics that are essential to advanced research at the University of Melbourne. Delivered by some of the University’s Liaison Librarians, the session covers:

    • An overview of library services, spaces, and collections
    • Library Guides and the Library Website
    • Search tools and apps to make research easier
    • Managing references and your bibliography
    • Accessing specialist advice throughout your research career

    Recommended resources

    Researchers’ Library Guide. This guide highlights Library resources and services for new research staff and graduate researchers.

  • This session will introduce the basics of using Zotero for reference management and will enable you to:

    • Understand what reference management software can and cannot do
    • Install Zotero, its connectors, and plugins
    • Navigate the Zotero interface
    • Add references to your Zotero library
    • Sync an online account with your desktop
    • Use Zotero to insert citations and format a bibliography in Word or Google Docs using your preferred referencing style

    Recommended resources

    The Library provides a comprehensive Zotero Guide on the Re:cite website. We recommend you visit this page and download Zotero before the session.

    If you’re unsure whether to use Zotero or EndNote, the options for managing references guide will help you to choose which program best meets your needs.

  • This interactive online workshop is for established Zotero users who want to explore further features. The workshop will enable you to:

    • Use document annotation tools
    • Set up RSS feeds from databases to stay current in your field
    • Make the most of tags
    • Create and follow groups
    • Sync across devices and tablets
    • Understand the storage options

    Recommended resource

    The Library provides a comprehensive Zotero Guide on the Re:cite website.

  • This session will introduce you to the basics of using EndNote for reference management and enable you to:

    • Understand what reference management software can and cannot do
    • Navigate the EndNote interface
    • Create and add references to an Endnote library
    • Use EndNote to insert citations and format a bibliography in Word using your preferred referencing style

    Recommended resources

    The Library provides a comprehensive EndNote Guide on the Re:cite website. We recommend you visit this page and download EndNote before the session.

    If you’re unsure whether to use Zotero or EndNote, the options for managing references guide will help you to choose which program best meets your needs.

  • This interactive online workshop is for established EndNote users who want to explore further features. The workshop will enable you to:

    • Import existing folders of PDFs
    • Merge multiple chapters in Word
    • Sync with EndNote Online
    • Share your EndNote library
    • Edit citation styles

    Recommended resource

    The Library provides a comprehensive EndNote Guide on the Re:cite website.

  • This workshop is intended for graduate researchers and early-career researchers but is open to all University of Melbourne staff and students. 

    In this interactive workshop, participants get an overview of what goes in to choosing where to publish research findings, then get hands-on with different tools and resources.

    Delivered by the Liaison Librarian and Scholarly Communications teams, the workshop covers:

    • Using databases and other tools to find suitable journals.
    • Understanding your publishing options, including open access opportunities.
    • How to critically evaluate your options, including avoiding predatory and high-risk publishers.

    The session will focus on publishing in journals but will also contain some takeaways for publishing peer-reviewed books and book chapters.

    Recommended resource

    Scholarly Publishing Library Guide, particularly its pages on Choosing Where to Publish. This guide supports researchers with scholarly publishing decisions, such as selecting journals or conferences, publishing books, publishing from your thesis, and open access considerations.

  • This webinar provides an overview of research metrics for graduate researchers, academic staff, and professional staff working in research support.

    Research metrics are used to quantify engagement with research outputs, and range from traditional metrics like journal impact to non-traditional or "altmetrics," like shares on social media.

    This session covers:

    • The University of Melbourne's position on appropriate use of research metrics
    • Requirements of major funding bodies
    • An overview of prominent tools

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 11 Feb 2026:

    Recommended resource

    Research Metrics. The Library's research metrics website covers what they are, how to capture them, and how to use them responsibly.

  • The session explores different forms of evidence used to demonstrate research impact, including citation performance of research outputs, media and social media interest, commercial potential and sharing of outputs and data.

    Topics covered include:

    • An overview of the suite of Impact Measurement Products available to researchers
    • Which measure to use in which context
    • How to get assistance

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 17 February 2026:

    Recommended resource

    Research Metrics. The Library's research metrics website covers what they are, how to capture them, and how to use them responsibly.

  • This webinar is intended for researchers seeking alternative metrics for traditional research outputs (e.g. journal articles) and metrics to demonstrate the impact of non-traditional research outputs (e.g. datasets, software, performance, exhibitions).

    Delivered by specialist liaison librarians the session covers:

    • Why it is necessary to provide evidence
    • Alternative metrics for traditional research outputs​
    • Other measures or indicators​
    • Metrics for non-traditional research outputs​

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 25 February 2026:

    Recommended resource

    Altmetrics Library Guide. This guide explores alternative metrics: what they are, tools to gather them and how to increase your Altmetric Explorer scores..

  • Delivered by archivists from the University of Melbourne Archives (UMA), this workshop introduces archives as an essential source of primary resources, and discuss the collections held by UMA.

    Specific topics include:

    • The institutional context of UMA
    • Collecting areas and collections held by UMA
    • How to search our archival holdings effectively
    • How to access archives in person through the reading room, or via digital channels
    • How to cite archival documents in your research
    • Other archival institutions and how to find them

    Latest recordings

    View the latest recording of this session from 31 March 2026:

    Recommended resource

    Using Archives Library Guide. This guide provides information on archival and primary source research, and how to access the University of Melbourne Archives.

  • This session will introduce you to the data environment that supports best practice data management. It is designed to help you plan, store, and publish your research data and digital assets.

    Delivered by the Digital Stewardship team, topics covered include:

    • Research project planning
    • Data organisation and storage
    • Data publication and retention
    • Working with sensitive research data

    Recommended resources

    Managing Data @Melbourne. Online training on the basics of research data management.

    Digital Stewardship. In Scholarly Services, the Digital Stewardship team supports research data management, data sharing, and open research.

  • This session is for graduate research students and academic staff who are new to digital preservation. Delivered by the Digital Preservation Program Manager, the webinar introduces key ideas and simple, practical steps individuals can take to help safeguard digital research materials over time.

    Topics to be covered include:

    • Common risks to digital materials
    • Choosing sustainable file formats
    • Using University-supported storage
    • Identifying unplanned changes to digital materials
    • Seeking specialist advice

    Latest session

    View the latest recording of this session from 6 November 2025:

    Recommended resources

    Digital Preservation guides. These web guides introduce essential strategies to help you protect your digital materials for the long term.

  • This webinar is intended for anyone undertaking scanning of documents, photographs, maps, etc., either from your office, on location, or at the University Digitisation Centre (UDC).

    Delivered by the UDC team, the session covers:

    • Options and recommendations for digitisation out of office
    • Processing and workflow recommendations
    • Overview of self service scanning facilities at the UDC

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 14 April 2026:

    Recommended resources

    University Digitisation Centre. Visit the UDC website for more information about digitisation and the services available.

  • This session is for researchers wanting to automate repetitive image processing tasks, including creating images suitable for websites or social media, to processing 1000s of images of research data.

    Delivered by the University Digitisation Centre (UDC) team, the session covers:

    • Pros, cons and limitations
    • Image processing “apps”
    • Basic language concepts
    • Different ways to send commands
    • Planning your workflow
    • Methods for generating scripts
    • Increasing speed with parallel processing

    Recommended resources

    University Digitisation Centre. Visit the UDC website for more information about digitisation and the services available.

  • Presented by the Scholarly Communications team, this session explores the open access publishing pathways available to University of Melbourne staff and students in 2026.

    The webinar covers:

    • The open access landscape in 2026, including publishing trends, funder open access policies, and our Principles for Open Access.
    • Finding fully open access journals and publishers.
    • The different open access publishing agreements active in 2026, including our Read and Publish Agreements and Transformative Agreements with various publishers.
    • The scope, limitations, and eligibility criteria of the agreements, and how to use them when publishing your research.
    • Navigating Article Processing Charges (APCs) and other publishing fees.
    • Other open access initiatives and infrastructure being supported by the University in 2026.
    • Repository open access options available when research is published behind a paywall.

    Latest Recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 5 Feb 2026:

    Recommended resources

    For further information, see the Open Access Publishing page on the Open Scholarship website.

  • Presented by the Scholarly Communications team and the Copyright Office, this session is designed for graduate researchers and provides an overview of open access and copyright considerations for your thesis.

    This session covers:

    • Open access deposit in the University's institutional repository (Minerva Access)
    • Embargo and restricted access options
    • Considerations for theses with publications
    • Publishing thesis material after submission
    • Third-party copyright and permissions.

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 14 May 2026:

    Recommended resources

    Open Access Theses. This page on the library's Open Scholarship website explores the benefits of making research theses open access and addresses implications for publishing.

    My Thesis in the Library. Hosted on the Graduate Research Hub, this page looks at the deposit requirements for research theses, addressing open access, third-party copyright considerations, and exceptional circumstances.

  • In this webinar, we explore the open access pathways available for scholarly publications such as journal articles, conference papers, and books and book chapters.

    Presented by the Scholarly Communications and Liaison Librarian teams, the session covers a range of topics, including:

    Latest recording

    View the latest recording of this session from 22 October 2025:

    Recommended resources

    Open Scholarship. The Library's Open Scholarship website explores some of the ways you can open up your research practices. See, in particular, the "What is Open Research?" page.

  • What if your research could reach wider audiences, create greater impact, and help to solve problems beyond your discipline?

    In this session, presenters from Digital Stewardship (Research) and Scholarly Communications will provide an overview of open research principles and benefits, exploring how open practices can be applied throughout the research lifecycle.

    Attendees are invited to vote on aspects of open research to explore in more depth. Topics include preregistrations, open notebooks, open-source software and code, open data, preprints, and open peer review. (Note that open access publications are explored in a separate webinar, "Exploring Open Access").

    This session is open to all University of Melbourne staff and students, but would be most beneficial to early career researchers and graduate researchers.

    Recommended resources

    Open Scholarship. The Library's Open Scholarship website explores some of the ways you can open up your research practices. See, in particular, the "What is Open Research?" page.

Further Training Resources

File Management 101

File Management 101 is an Open Educational Resource (OER) designed to guide people in the practical understanding of what good file management looks like, applying a consistent file naming scheme and developing directory structures that makes sense in your context.

Go to File Management 101

Reference Management Software

Get started with reference management software supported by the University of Melbourne.

Go to Recite

Contact

Scholarly Development (Research) Team

Email
libraryresearch-tickets@unimelb.edu.au