Impact is coming - research impact and social media

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Esther De Smet - workshop #PhDIntroday -
February 2016

*** Line-up of recruits for the Wall ***
Rank yourself according to the impact of your research on the realms of men
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You have all heard of ‘publish or perish’ but nowadays it is more a case of ‘be visible or
vanish’.
And although that might sound no better and even a little scary, you can turn this to
your advantage.
Especially when you consider that doing things out in the open should be a part of
science.
So your first lesson is to take pride in what you do as a scientist
You have the power to change the world – even if it doesn’t seem that obvious to other
or even to you.
But with power comes great responsibility. So in your work try to be as open as possible.
Share your ideas, results and data with the scientific community – and convince others
to do so as well.
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Join me in spreading this new war cry!
*** discussion on how the participants are already encouraged to be open or what
actions they might take ***
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But it is not just about making a mark on science. Remember that there are other realms
out there that need exploring.
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Being the warden of Castle Knowledge is an honourable duty but what exactly is this
treasure you are sitting on or defending?
Knowledge is ideally ‘socially robust’ which means it does not solely serves your small
scientific family but also all the other families outside the gates of your keep.
So get on your horse and explore other kingdoms, talking and listening to people on the
way, staying at strange inns, getting lost –
Always considering where you’re going and who you can help along the way.
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Why care about the impact of your research? Because there’s more to the world than
your research.
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Open science is also about allowing society into your world and venturing into society
yourself.
Think about what you might do to make your research easily discoverable and accessible
to other audiences besides your peers.
Look at how other people outside the scientific and academic realm might influence
your work and your attitude.
What are the ways in which you can interact with them? How approachable are you?
How can you be at the service of society?
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February 2016

Storytelling is all about using the trick of engaging narratives when communicating
about your research.
It is something you should really invest in.
It is our lesson 3.
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May and Watts (2012) describe an eight-art story structure:
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-structure-a-story-the-eight-point-arc/
You must accept that science might not interest everyone. It even scares some people.
Also remember that details important to you may not resonate with other people – even
other researchers.
Is there anything in your research which may though?
When considering this question, be honest with yourself, and try to embody someone
else who hasn’t spent years toiling over your niche subject area.
Resist the temptation of covering too much of your research. Don’t get bogged down
in the details. Try to avoid unnecessary nuance.
Maybe the 8-point arc is too heavy-handed for you?
Start with at least finding that central image that people can connect with.
Link: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2014/08/27/academic-
storytelling-risk-reduction/
Rigorous researching and attention-grabbing storytelling are very different trades but
that does not mean that they are mutually exclusive.
By finding that point of connection in your research you’ll go a long way.
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Storytelling is essentially about touching the hearts and heads of your audience (in that
order!): making them laugh or cry, inviting them to join you on your journey, challenging
them to think.
It’s about making them care so be authentic.
It’s about making a lasting impression and letting your passion inspire them.
It’s about bringing in visuals to add strength and imagination to your tale.
In short: it’s about making an impact.
*** Exercise: what is your central image? What is your story? ***
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https://youtu.be/2xCLCB51fBw
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In Lesson number Four we come to terms with the fact that everyone needs help and
should surround themselves with worthy allies who bring added value to your science
engagement through their expertise. You are not in this alone.
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In engagement and communication as in research it is important to build up a sturdy
network.
You only have so much time and energy so investing it wisely is key.
Look for meaningful encounters – and not just the usual suspects.
As a PhD student it is important to have role models. Think who this might be for you.
Identify partners in your quest starting within your own university: *** show of hands –
who knows about these? ***
- Communication Office
- Unit for Science Communication
- Research Communication (incl. scholarly communication)
- Faculty Communication
- Dedicated person with research group
Also identify who else might benefit from your science engagement:
- from your research: general public and specific target groups
- from your communication about your research: (specific) media
Interesting exercise: identify the stakeholders of your research (both positive and
negative)
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https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/leadership-development-for-
principal-investigators-pis/leading-a-research-project/applying-for-research-
funding/research-project-stakeholders
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But it is not enough to know the go-to people, the intermediaries.
It also helps to know where the essential information is and what small actions can
make a big difference. Some things you need to do yourself.
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We are halfway through our quest to attain the Iron Throne. We have learnt a lot about
our own attitude and skills but it is now time to delve deeper into the tools that are at
our deposal.
Lesson 5 reminds us of the fact that when it comes to those tools it pays off to evolve
and step into the future.
So get with the times and don’t become a White Walker. Start with discovering your
online identity and then caring about it and aim at becoming a ‘networked scholar’.
Interesting resource: Goodier and Czerniewicz,
http://openuct.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/Online%20Visibility%20Guideline
s.pdf
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Writing for Research (March 2014) https://medium.com/advice-and-help-in-
authoring-a-phd-or-non-fiction/are-you-an-academic-hermit-6d7ae5a0f16a
*** Quiz about digital behaviour ***
- How many people looking for info online? 70%
- How many scholars without online contact details: 35%
- How many researchers think they should probably do more to promote their research
online? 78%
- If researchers do use online media to make professional info publicly available, how
many put data sets online? 15% (pulished) 7% (unpublished)
(Both online survey Piirus September 2014)
- How much of Ghent Uni Biblio is open access? 30%
- What is the world’s largest non-scholarly referrer of DOIs? Wikipedia
- How many new Wikipedia articles per minute? 6
- Most tweeted PLOS article 2014: Survey of Academic Field Experiences (SAFE):
Trainees Report Harassment and Assault
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*** Quiz: academic social media networks and digital tools ***
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Okay, now you seem ready to really unleash the dragons of social media
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There are many online tools available for disseminating your research and/or for
interacting about science. The important thing is choosing the right tool for your specific
goal. And then making it your own and giving it a natural place in your work and life so it
does not feel like a chore.
http://www.andymiah.net/2012/12/30/the-a-to-z-of-social-media-for-academics/
(starting in left-hand corner below)
Website: not just profile page but also group pages with news items, dedicated project
websites etc.
LinkedIn: profile that helps you to connect outside academia
Visual platforms: Flickr, Instagram (second largest socmed platform!)
Pinterest (big in US!) - http://www.researchtoaction.org/2012/07/whats-all-the-interest-
in-pinterest-how-can-it-be-used-for-academic-research-communication/
examples: https://www.pinterest.com/smithsonianscie/ and
http://readwrite.com/2013/09/25/best-instagram-accounts-for-science-geeks
In between visual and blog: Tumblr (bijv. http://medresearch.tumblr.com/ and
http://oupacademic.tumblr.com/ but also http://wheninacademia.tumblr.com/ and
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http://wheninacademicresearch.tumblr.com/ and http://allmalepanels.tumblr.com/)
Reddit Science and Quora
Online Commenting
Opinion pieces for all kinds of media
SlideShare
Wikipedia: huge audience, use your expertise to improve the world’s largest source of
knowledge
as a means to open up science: https://blog.wikimedia.org.uk/2014/10/using-wikipedia-
to-open-up-science/
Data visualisation
Infographics: http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcblog/2014/08/11/the-power-of-
pictures-how-we-can-use-images-to-promote-and-communicate-science/ > the
importance of visuals (academic poster becomes infographic)
Bijv. http://www.studiolakmoes.nl/projecten-database/zo-deelt-de-ambulancezorg-een-
jaarverslag-vol-cijfers
Twitter
Facebook: http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/facebook-science-pages/
Online book reviews including popular books based on science:
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/category/disciplines/media-studies/
Blog: separate, group, guest
Ted talk (maybe start locally with TedX) – Scientists Popularizing Science: characteristics
and impact of TED Talk Presenters (PLOSONE April 2013): “Presenters are predominantly
male and non-academics. Although TED popularizes research it may not promote the
work of scientists within the academic community.”
Podcasts
Youtube - Vimeo
https://www.youtube.com/user/jmccorma1234/videos
Explanimation: e.g. Crash Course Biology
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3EED4C1D684D3ADF > Choose your audience /
Deliver in style / Stay focused / Get to the point / Be part of the community / Give the
audience an anchor / Be a person not a company
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk2izv-c_ts
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Twitter is an easy but worthwhile tool to start engaging about your research.
These are some of the benefits:
- Connect with peers and building a scholarly network. Quote: “It’s allowed me to
open up new communities for discussions and increase the interdisciplinarity of my
research.” (A network boost by M. Baker. Nature, 12 Feb 2015)
- Sharing and finding resources (think ‘open science’)
- Generating and refining ideas
- Honing writing skills: try building up a lucid argument in 140 characters!
- Reputation management (part of larger strategy in managing your digital
footprint/shadow)
- Dissemination of your research. Don’t just tweet your new scientific articles but try to
capture the attention of more people by making the content accessible.
- Public engagement and creating involvement: why not look for participants this way?
- And remember, there’s a lot of journalists and media outlets on there too…
Jobs & prof. development:
- “Following institutions, companies and individuals on Twitter can offer clues about
workplace culture and ongoing projects in a way that static website do not.”
- “Junior researchers are creating identities that don’t have to be routed through the
principal investigator.” (A network boost by M. Baker. Nature, 12 Feb 2015)
It is a great tool for conferences:
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- Back-channel: capture content & provide feedback, share questions and resources
- Connecting and networking
- Virtual participation
There is of course a big social element to it (especially for ECRs):
- Break isolation
- Look over the fence
- Find fellow victims
- Real-life scholar
- Sheer fun of it
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*** Exercise ***
#sharemythesis: competition by British Library
LOL my thesis: tumblr
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Status anxiety: should academics be using social media? D. Lupton
Reaching out. Nature blog by Soapbox Science (7 June 2012)
It is a nuanced story.
Not everyone is a fan or naturally gifted or even at ease when participating in science
engagement and/or social media.
There might even be criticism of peers or mentors.
Institutional rewards and incentives are lacking.
Not everyone’s research is applied or sexy.
There is also a worry that we might be evolving towards more of the same: Academic
attention economy (cf. Kardashian Index)
*** Why are not doing it? Why are you doing it? ***
Although it is a big investment and there are some definite challenges, there are great
benefits to integrating social media into your research – not just as a way to
communicate but also as a means to become a better scholar. Social media offers you
the means to interact directly with a broader audience – often without ‘corporate
interference’.
Although it can be great fun and many of the social media look flighty (eg. half-life of a
tweet is 18 minutes) it should not be taken lightly but approached in a strategic and
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professional manner.
It’s all about finding the right balance:
- Not overthinking it but using it to your advantage
- Getting into the spirit of sharing and interacting while keeping focus in your own
research and not losing yourself in procrastination
- Giving it a natural place in your time management and approaching it so you feel
comfortable with it
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http://markcarrigan.net/2015/10/26/my-tips-on-social-media-for-
academics-in-the-times-higher/
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If you have been paying attention to all the previous lessons and are willing to put them
to work, you’re ready finally claim your prize.
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ACADEMIC PRESTIGE
Better understanding the impact of your research and describing it leads to more
succesful grant proposals.
Promoting your publications and work, increases the chance of people seeing them and
citing them.
Or connecting their research with yours.
NETWORKING
Reaching out might offer professional perspectives outside academia.
Broadly communicating about your research creates opportunities for partnerships (and
thus funding) to might have remained hidden.
REAL IMPACT
Sharing your research leads to more multidisciplinarity and more efficient innovation.
Collaboration and coproduction brings real solutions to small and grand challenges.
Putting your scientific passion on stage increases your standing as a public intellectual
and establishes you as an academic expert.
From my idealistic view, it simplies makes you a better researcher but it also makes sure
that the general public and the powers that be keep supporting science and providing
funding.
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Impact is coming - research impact and social media

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