"Networking is crucial - I have got all my employed jobs through contacts, none through answering an advertisement, and the same is true of much of my freelance work. Some amazing opportunities have arisen through someone recommending my name, and I have never been able to predict where these opportunities would arise."
- Anna Sharman, Founder and Director of Cofactor Ltd
You may think that research is finished after you have written and published your work, but this is not the case - the cycle continues! Disseminating your findings and engaging with the wider community are important aspects of the
research journey. Sharing research through informal channels such as blogging and academic networks is increasingly seen as standard practice. This allows you to reach as wide an audience as possible; research funding organisations, practicing professionals, members of the public, business, fellow researchers, students, policymakers and media.
Sharing your research will open up opportunities for collaboration, both within your own field of expertise, and in related disciplines. it is important to remember that after undertaking all this engagement you will also want to record the impact your work has had. For activities such as the Research Excellence Framework for example, and for the benefit of your own career recording impact and engagement is vital. Who is talking about your research? What are they saying? These can be measured in many ways and collected through mechanisms such as alerts and RSS feeds for example.
Guides
Sharing your research - Blogging, social media, setting up research networks online. Check out who's who on
Academia.edu!
Measure your Research Performance - Using bibliometrics or citation counting. What are journal impact factors? What is my H-index? Check out ways of measuring online usage and views though social media.
Are you thinking about sharing your research, or measuring your impact? Contact your Subject Librarian to discover the guidance, support and training we can offer.