The use of social media for research communication
SciDev, London 3rd December 2015
David Girling@socialmedia4D
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
- 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