social media and your research profile

Social Media and your research profile

Dr Scott EacottOffice of Educational Leadership

School of EducationThe University of New South Wales

Social Media and your research profile | Dr Scott Eacott

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Shameless self-promotion

Connect via:

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A useful resource

Carrigan, M. (2016). Social media for academics. London: SAGE.

A sample chapter can be found here

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Presentation Overview

• Part One– Supports through social media

• Part Two – Building a research profile

• Dialogue and debate

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BUILDING A SUPPORT NETWORK

Supports during candidature

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Some sources of support• Journal clubs

content | technical• Writing groups

technical | content• Seminars

content | technical• Conferences

content | technical

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Patter• patthomson.net• Twice a week blog

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Thesiswhisperer• Thesiswhisperer.com• Blog • @thesiswhisperer

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Twitter People• @ThomsonPat• @NHopUTS• @phdforum

Hashtags• #phdchat• #phdforum• #ECRchat • #emcrforum• #shutupandwrite• #acwrimo

BUILDING A RESEARCH PROFILE

Becoming someone in the academy

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What do people find when they you?

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Outline • What is a research profile?

• Key challenges

• Strategies

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What is a research profile?• A research profile is different from track record.

• A level of recognition within (and beyond) your discipline based on a clear understanding of what your work is about, what it does, and its quality. Your research profile is related – in part – to the impact your work has (Adkins & Dever, 2012).

• An excellent track record ≠ a strong profile

• Quality work and careful management.

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Why is it important?• When you are known and recognized for your research,

you are well placed to receive invitations such as:

– Join networks, groups, grant applications;– Present at esteemed venues / outlets;– Review for journals / publishers;– Participate in peak bodies;– Edit journals and book series.

• As a result, your invitations to others become more serious.

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Some challenges• Profiles are individual and collective• Academics ARE researchers• Take yourself AND others serious as

researchers• Prioritize research – the issue of research• Publicize achievements• Insist on supports

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Conferences• Attending key conferences• Participate – play a role• Ask questions• Have your ‘to meet list’• Business cards• Dress appropriately• Follow-up timely

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Key social platforms• Institutional (comparison)• Academia.edu• Researchgate• LinkedIn• Twitter• Facebook• Personal website

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Academia.eduAffiliation

Research interests

Bio

Following | followers

Document views

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Analytics

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Twitter • Use consistent image• 1 in 4 rule• Connect | interact

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Personal website• Audience | Content | Purpose• Why academics blog?

… expand and disseminate knowledge, make contact with potential collaborators and have

scholarly discussions on a global scale.(Mewburn & Thomson, 2013, p. 1106)

Mewburn, I., & Thomson, P. (2013). Why do academics blog? An analysis of audiences, purposes, and challenges. Studies in Higher Education, 38(8), 1105-1119.

Research profiles• Require quality work• Careful curation• Both individual and collective

A profile comes not from a quantum of activity but from a research trajectory. A

generative research narrative.

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Dialogue and Debate

A presentation at:

UNSW School of Education HDR Workshop Series Semester One 2016

University of New South WalesSydney NSW AUSTRALIA12 April 2016

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Contact Details

Dr Scott EacottPhD MLMEd GradCertPTT BTeach/BSocSci FACEL

Director, Office of Educational LeadershipSchool of EducationUniversity of New South WalesSydney NSW AUSTRALIA 2052

P: +61 2 9385 0704T: @ScottEacottE: s.eacott@unsw.edu.auW: http://scotteacott.com

@ScottEacott