Marking Research Review

As part of my front runner internship, I was taking part on conducting research for Kimberlein library. Aim of the research was to understand student preference in accessing information about library and services it offers. I was responsible for creating research plans. Making surveys. Analysing data. Finding participants. Presenting outcomes. Taking part in the meetings. Conducting data analyses.

Definitely. I developed my research and analytical skills working on a real project. Working with people, planning, presenting and data analyses using real data. Everything was really important. There were research ethics skills which I developed, as well as organisational skills and time management. Because I was responsible for the results of the study, I needed to make sure everything went as planned. In the end I improved my writing and reporting skills.

I can say that during the internship I was given enough responsibilities. Mainly I was focusing on one project, but at the same time I was involved in many meetings, library related activities and university activities. As well as my role researching student development through library services, I attended many classes such as academic writing referencing.

I can say that I receive enough support and guidance. My first point of contact was my project manager, who was very helpful and she was able to assist at any point. In the beginning of the internship, I did introduction elements which helped me understand the role and set expectations. Afterwards, it was done mainly through meetings.

The company culture was formal, but in the same way it felt like a family. As our library office was quite small, you always saw people who came everyday. Everyone was very friendly, asked questions and was nice in general. Also, the office felt really comfortable, everyone had something on their desk which gave insight into their personality.

I can say that I’m very happy that I was able to engage in this internship. It allowed me to grow in a field I want to specialise in the future. I was able to organise my time to fit it around studies as well as receive support on a high level. I would recommend this experience to anyone who wants to increase their chances in the job market and to anybody who wants to specialise in research.

Yes

You need to be prepared to create a good CV as well as pass the interview. Be responsible and try your best to find the role which suits you, because it’s really important to understand what you are doing.