13 Apr 2023HughStephens
Social media in researchPRM Communication Seminar, 5 Aug 2014Available: http://bit.ly/monashPRM14
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• Introduction to social media• Where are researchers?• What are the opportunities?• What are the risks?• How people use it
Agenda
13 Apr 20231. Introduction to social media
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Social media is any tool that uses the internet to facilitate conversation.
It is the shift from a broadcast model of communication to a many-to-many model of communication.
(adapted from Solis, 2010)
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The Social Media Exchange
adapted from Larson & Watson,
2011
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14-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Proportion who Access the Internet
Age Bracket
% o
f U
sers
minor trend: as age
Source: Yellow Social Media 2013
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Do not use social media
Frequency of SNS use
More than five times a day Everyday Most days A few times a week Once a Week Less than weekly Never
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0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100% SNS platforms usedSource: Yellow Social Media Jun-13
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Audience and activity
Think not just of where they are, but where they engage
Audience
Activity
??
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13 Apr 20232. Where is research online?
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Researchers online
• General– #phdchat on Twitter
• UK: 1930-2030 GMT Wed Nights• AU: 1st Wednesday monthly, 1900-2000 AEST • #PhDtoPresent: what happens ‘post-PhD’ (seminar)
– http://bit.ly/1mfaNig
– Blogs++++++– Inger Mewburn (@thesiswhisperer) ANU academic
• Sector specific– …anywhere and everywhere– Look @ your key stakeholders/influencers
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13 Apr 20232. What are the opportunities?
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• “Learn stuff” & access experts• Motivation (e.g. getting the damn thesis
written)• Disseminate research findings• Build collaborations locally/globally• Become well-known in a sector (?future
career)• Social opportunities / meet people with
similar interests
Opportunities activity
Opportunities abound, but you need to choose your poison
13 Apr 20234. What are the risks?
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Be careful when talking about results & data
• Publications – is it already in the “public domain”?–Little evidence to date about
publications vetoing papers as they have had bits Tweeted
• Data privacy/confidentiality breach (!)• Citations / re-use by others• Time sink / stuck in the rabbit hole
Not everything is sunshine & roses
13 Apr 20235. How is it used?
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