This document provides guidance on using social media to disseminate research. It discusses establishing an online presence through platforms like Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu and ORCID to share publications. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube are covered as ways to engage with other researchers, discuss field developments and promote events. Traditional media and creating your own blogs are also presented as outlets for sharing research more broadly.

1. How to use social media to
disseminate your research
Fernando Rosell-Aguilar
@FRosellAguilar

2. Overview
 Digital presence
 Social media platforms
 Other outlets
 Networking and dissemination

3. Who am I?
Google me!
Fernando Rosell-Aguilar
What I do
Research interests
Something not work-related
What platforms do I appear on?

4. Digital presence

5. Are you an ‘academic hermit’?
Comprehensive online search of a random
sample of 360 UK social science researchers
Researchers were unable to find even basic
information (academic qualifications, career
track, list of publications, research interests) for
over 1/3 of academics
http://bit.ly/2mzWNIX

6. Academic presence:
What is it?
Where are you present?
What does it say about you?
Could you be confused with someone
else?

7. Google Scholar

8. Google Scholar

9. Why Use Google Scholar?
1) Publications are automatically added – no extra work (in theory)!
2) Increases your ‘Google-ability’ in normal Google searches
3) Compile your publications and publication data (citation count, h-index, etc.)
4) Receive alerts when you’ve been cited
5) Follow other authors for publication alerts

10. ResearchGate

11. Benefits of ResearchGate
1) More of a social networking aspect than Google Scholar
◦ Follow researchers and receive email updates on their activities
◦ Comment on articles
◦ Question and answer forums
◦ Ability to receive feedback or comments on articles
2) Choose which publications to highlight on your profile
3) Add projects you are involved in as well as publications
4) Job recruitment information
5) Add different kinds of materials (posters, informal papers, presentations, datasets, proposals,
working papers, etc.)

12. Academia.edu

13. SlideShare

14. FigShare

15. ORCID
Open Researcher and Contributor ID

16. Explore!
Go to one of the platforms
Search for yourself / others
Create ORCID / Google Scholar Profile – takes 5 minutes!

17. Social media platforms

18. (Some) Social media platforms
© Respective platforms

19. Social media platforms
Monthly Active Users
Source: Walsh, L. (2021): The Top 10 Social Media Sites & Platforms 2021

20. Social media platforms
Which social media platforms do you use?
Why?
What’s the difference?

21. Twitter
 Microblogging in 280 characters + photos, videos, links, polls…
 Launched in 2006
 1 billion users / 353 million active
 500 million tweets sent every day
Source: Statista / Twitter

22. Twitter for Academic Purposes
 Twitter is "a medium for vacuous, inane and limited postings"
(Wright, 2010).
 Al-Khalifa (2010): study with 2000 responses from US higher
education professionals concluded that Twitter has no place in
academia or potential use in higher education.
It’s 2022!

23. Does sizematter?
Educators on Twitter

24. Twitter has changed...
 My routine
 How I consume and share information
 How I communicate
 Network
 Reputation

25.  Find people in your field
 Follow them
 Engage with them (replies, likes, RTs)
What can I find?
 Find
 Select
 Share / Editorialise
 Create!
People
Content

26.  Publications (with links to repositories)
 Resources
 Conferences
 Developments in your field
 Comments on policies
 Your personal interests (you ARE human)
Tweet about:

27. • CPD
• Community of
practice
Hashtags
Image: © Gettingsmart.com
• Notice them
• Start using them!
• #EduTwitter
• #ALTC
• #BlendedLearning
• #EdChat
• #OnlinePivot
• #EdTechChat

28. Why should I use it?
 Exposure of your work / research
 Keep up to date
 Networking
 Promoting events

29. Facebook
Who’s on Facebook?
What do you use it for?

30. Sharing Research on
Facebook

31. Joining a Research Community on
Facebook

32. Engaging with the Public through
Facebook

33. Engaging with the Public through
Facebook

34. Facebook Live

35. LinkedIn
Used by over 2 million academic researchers

36. Why LinkedIn?
 Ability to add more information than your university profile
 Recommendations written by colleagues
 Skills and endorsements
 Projects and awards
 Stays online even if you change jobs
 Job searching and recruitment feature
 Social interaction – messages, newsfeed, connect with others
 Post updates

37. Other outlets

38. The Conversation

39. Traditional media Engagement

40. Create your own media!

41. YouTube

42. Go to The Conversation
Are they writing about topics that you can provide insight on?
How do I get published?

43. Do / Don’t
Regular activity
Update institution / details
Link with others
Publish confidential information
Break ethics principles
Badmouth your institutions!

44. Follow-Up Resource
Digital Scholar – Martin Weller
Free course – OpenLearn
Video: Tips for Creating a
Professional Online Presence
https://warwick.mediaspace.kalt
ura.com/media/Who+are+youF/1
_uczbg978/6610831

45. Any questions?
What’s
your
takeaway?

46. Thank you!
Post something about today’s course!
#ArdenAPD