The Connected Researcher: Networking and collaborating with Social media

Susan Smith and Sarah Nicholas

With our panel: Janet Finlay, Joe Nicholls and Liz Walder

( and @bookworm_29)

Why use social media? Help to build your profile – ‘showcase’ yourself and

your work (Cann et al 2011) Help you identify research opportunities (Cann et al

2011) May save time – use it to harvest the ‘wisdom of

crowds’ and find resources through your network (Cann et al 2011). “Social media allow academics to support students

and colleagues, network and explore new intellectual connections” (Brabazon 2010)

Brabazon, T. 2010. A community of scholars. [Online] Available at

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=413384

Cann et al. 2011. Social Media: a guide for researchers. Available at: http://ht.ly/3TWiR

Why use social media?

“Individuals who use social media have the potential to be more collaborative, more inter-disciplinary and more able to gather and respond to feedback than their peers” (Gillaspy & Hooley 2012)

Gillaspy, E & Hooley, T. 2012. Digital Researcher: Using Social Media to Benefit your Research.

Why use social media?Enhances research - according to CIBER

(2010) researchers found Web 2.0 tools to be very or extremely useful for: Disseminating findings Identifying Research Opportunities Finding collaborators

“Social media presents some opportunities for better, faster research and dissemination” (CIBER 2010)

CIBER. 2010. Social media and research workflow? [Online] http://ciber-research.eu/download/20101111-social-media-report.pdf

Why use social media?

It can help with the isolation of doing research

Engages you with a community that cares about what you care about (Gillaspy & Hooley 2012)

See ‘Guides and Opinion’ section on Diigo list for more information

Why blog?

enhance reputation

blog as online ‘base camp’

explore the process of research work

reflect share network collate learn

Why blog?

use as a notebook 1

record thoughts on events 2

alternative focus (with a writing element)

crowdsource

knowledge transfer

links to articles

collect feedback

generate discussion

collaborate

enhance reputation

outreach

reduce feelings of isolation

increase sense of belonging

blog as online ‘base camp’

direct people to blog to save producing documents 2

explores the process of research work

momentum to explore other technologies

critical appraisal

follow events

reflect share network collate learn

1. Richer, Suzi. 2009. Blogging your way to completion… [Online]. Available at: http://vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1271-194421/Blogging-your-way-to-completion.html [Accessed: 25 January 2011].2. Weller, M. 2007. The ed technie: is blogging a good use of time? [Online]. Available at: http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2007/04/is_blogging_a_g.html [Accessed: 25 January 2011].

Why blog?

connectedresearcher.wordpress.com