The use of social media for research communication

SciDev, London 3rd December 2015

David Girling@socialmedia4D

Infographic Video

Social Media: A Guide for Researchers

Digital Sociology: An IntroductionDeborah LuptonThese are the three main reasons I use social media as part of my academic professional practice:

• Research: to let others know about mine, to learn about that of others and to gather material to support my research.

• Creativity: using social media can be a great way to create items to share with others quickly and easily and often in a pleasing visual form.

• Engagement: social media offer an accessible way to engage with other academics and non-academics.

http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8621/2/Digital%20Sociology.pdf

Deborah Lupton – Feeling Better Connected (2014)• 711 academics• Gift economy – sharing• Global networks – horizontal connections /

serendipitous connections• Twitter – Immediacy / sharing links• Competition on time

http://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/arts-design/attachments2/pdf/n-and-mrc/Feeling-Better-Connected-report-final.pdf

Deborah LuptonAcademia.edu – create academic profile / upload papersLinkedIn – professional / groups / share news / blogGoogle Scholar – create personal profileWikipedia – create and edit other people entriesPinterest – curate imagesStorify – collate materialFacebook – news items / blog posts / commentsPodcsts / Youtube – interviews / documentartiesContent Curation – Delicious / Stumbleupon / BundlrQuora – Q&ASlideShare – upload powerpoint of PreziReferencing Tools – Mendeley / CiteULike / EvernoteBlogsTwitter

Vince Cable (2003) - Policymakers

• Speed: they have to make decision fast• Superficiality: they cover a wide brief• Spin: they have to stick to a decision, at least

for a reasonable time• Secrecy: many policy discussions have to be

held in secret• Scientific ignorance: few policymakers are

scientists

Lessons from 2014: What Policy Makers want from Researchers• The need to blog more• 27% of academic research accessed via social

media• Policy makers have limited time and prefer

policy briefs and research reports• The role of social media is growing but

uncertain

DIGITAL SCHOLAR / JOURNALIST

How to communicate research for policy influence

“The practice of data visualization is becoming increasingly important; moreover it is changing the way people receive and consume data….Data visualisation allows simplifying, measuring, comparing, exploring, and discovering data; it transforms data into information and information into knowledge.”

http://www.vippal.cippec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Guia-05-serie-3-ingles.pdf

DFID Infographics

SEEDING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQT2IVxMkhY

- Upload video to DEV YouTube on Friday 25th April

- Promote via @socialmedia4D @martinscott2010 @developmentuea @uniofeastanglia 

- Schedule tweets over the weekend 

- Promote on DEV LinkedIn and Facebook Page 

- Send email round to DEV staff (John's round up?) 

- Send email to Media Students and Media Alumni?

- Press Release? 

- Blog Post? 

- Contact various media people on Twitter e.g. BBC Trending, BBC Media Action, Media Matters, Media Trust, One World Media, Global Media Forum, Beth Kanter, Guardian, Guardian Professionals, Melinda Gates, Al Jazeera Stream,

- Co-ordinate tweets with Jason Toal and Sarah Menard in Canada and Diana - Post to JISC Mail and any other LinkedIn Groups you know of

ReferencesAlejandro, J (2010) Journalism in the Age of Social Media - http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Journalism%20in%20the%20Age%20of%20Social%20Media.pdf

BBC Academy – Social Media Skills - http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/skills/social-media

Cann et al (2011) Social Media: A guide for researchers

Ffrench-Constant, L (2015) Lessons from 2014: What policymakers want from researchers

Goodier, S and Czerniewicz (2012) Academics online presence: A four-step guide to taking control of your visibility

Knight, M and Cook, C (2013) Social Media for Journalists

Mollett, A, Moran, D and Dunleavy, P (2011) Using Twitter in university research, teaching and impact activities

Overseas Development Institute (2013) Using social media: research communication and the development dialogue

Weyraunch, V, Echt, L and Arrieta, D (2013) How to communicate research for policy influence – Online Tools

QUESTIONS

THANK YOU

David Girling@socialmedia4Dhttp://social-media-for-development.orgd.girling@uea.ac.uk