Blogging for Researchers
- 1. Blogging for Researchers Terese Bird Learning Technologist Graduate School Media Zoo 23 November 2011 With thanks to Emma Kimberley for prior work
- 2. What’ll we talk about? Digital Profile: why? Blogging Case study: Museum Studies Scoop.it Slideshare Twitter
- 3. Digital Profile: why bother? You already have one You need to be in control You need to promote yourself and your work How to maximise the following: Facebook – friends and family plus… Twitter – professional development LinkedIn – professional Academia.edu – academic Blogging – online researcher’s diary
- 4. A web log Regular entries Maintained by an individual or a team Can contain links, graphics or video Often provides commentary on a theme Or functions as an online diary
- 8. Blogs are good digital scholarship Disseminate from Day One Attracts other experts “ Open” is king Your digital profile established Photo by 46137 on Flickr
- 9. What kind of blog? Public Publicity – Digital profile Networking Discussion Reflection Motivation Progress tracking Private Reflection Motivation Progress tracking
- 10. Public blogs Often have a social function Stimulate discussion on a theme Bring attention to your publications Share information among peers Blog to a community Team blogging Recreational as well as academic Link to departmental website
- 13. Private blogs Keeping track of research progress Research diary Can be set to private so that no-one else can see it Keeping links – reminding yourself of what you found and when by using tags A motivational tool
- 14. Research councils Libraries Student organisations Research institutions Academics Archives Museums Projects Other postgraduates Who to read?
- 15. Some useful blogs to read The GSRR blog http://gradschoolreadingroom.blogspot.com Postgrad student blogging communities at Leicester http://attic-museumstudies.blogspot.com/ http://www.newhistorylab.org/ PhD blogs http://thethesiswhisperer.wordpress.com/ http://findsandfeatures.wordpress.com/ http://malenel.wordpress.com/ http://www.jobs.ac.uk/blogs/real-life/ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/articles/phd_blog_43.jsp
- 16. Some useful blogs to read Blogs by academics at Leicester http://www.microbiologybytes.com/blog/ http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com http://spider-project.blogspot.com/ http://beyonddistance.wordpress.com/ … and elsewhere http://mat.gsia.cmu.edu/blog/ http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/
- 17. Why would you blog? What kind of blog would you have? What would you blog about? - brainstorm
- 18. Creating a blog Look at other blogs Decide what you want Choose a platform Create and customise Private or public? Start posting!
- 19. Good blogging tips Update regularly – once a week Keep entries short – 300 words Use pictures Think before you write! Link to previous posts Respond to comments Remember: anyone could read your post/comment…so never blog anything you wouldn’t be prepared to say in public! Link to departmental website
- 20. Tag your posts Automatic cataloguing Enables you to select relevant posts Good for organising notes Lets readers know the main topics on your blog
- 21. Everything you write in a public blog can be seen by anyone Think carefully about what information you want in the public domain Does the information you are sharing belong to you? Ask advice of your supervisor / team / collaborators before blogging Think about your academic profile
- 22. Copyright and intellectual property Some blog sites make you sign away your copyright Read the terms and conditions before you sign up You can use 3 rd party content as long as you comment on it Any questions? Email: copyright@le.ac.uk
- 23. Any questions?
- 24. Your turn! posterous.com blogger.com wordpress.com