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Starting The Conversation: sharing Oxford expertise with the world Carolyne Culver, MPLS Andrew Fairweather-Tall, Humanities Wednesday 23 September 2015
What is The Conversation? • A free-to-read website featuring topical comment
pieces by academics and researchers
• https://theconversation.com/uk
• Covers politics, science, technology, the arts, business, economics and education
• More than 10 million subscribers worldwide
• Articles are evidence based and not politicised
What’s happened so far? • Over the past two years more than 200 Oxford
researchers have published 320 articles
• Attracted eight million readers globally, including policy makers and opinion formers
• University became an official member in August following endorsement from Research Committee
• Delivers on Strategic Plan objectives
What’s in it for the researcher? • Write without words being taken out of context
• Provide expert comment on topical issues
• Pitch their own stories
• Practise writing for, and engaging with, a general audience (with training and editorial support)
• Increased profile: for the research and personally
• Republish articles
• Metrics: readership / comments and republication
What’s in it for the group / department? • Raises awareness of excellent research
• Demonstrates that researchers are committed to engaging with wider society
• Metrics – readership and republication figures
• Conversation editors support authors throughout
• You can republish; promote via social media
What’s in it for the general reader? • Free daily email digest
• Many newspaper websites are subscription now
• Article style is accessible to a general audience
• Interesting articles by experts that put the news of the day into a broader context
• You can republish it
Why did Oxford become a member? • Increase the public profile of our research(ers) as
part of REF environment and impact
• Opportunity to promote knowledge exchange and public engagement with our research(ers)
• Training and support from their editors plus a daily request for articles
• Metrics and evidence of engagement
• More organised and systematic approach
How does it work on a day-to-day basis? • Researchers set up a profile or contact an editor
• Conversation editors make a daily request for stories and also horizon scan for ‘up-and-coming’
• Divisions receive daily updates which they pass on as appropriate
• If researcher wants to contribute, a Conversation editor will provide advice / guidance
What happens next? • Launch announcement at the beginning of term
• An introductory session in Michaelmas term for potential writers
• Small group training
• We have contact people in the Divisions
• www.ox.ac.uk/research/support-researchers/using-research-engage/conversation
QUESTIONS?