Social media for researchers: Blogging

A blog (an abridgement of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, description of events, or other material such as graphics or video. 

Entries can be ‘tagged’ with appropriate keywords so that related entries or posts can be brought together. In some blog services, the access to entries can be controlled to readers: to certain individuals, or to the public. Other users (or readers) are typically able to add their own comments to the posts.

• WordPress http://wordpress.com/  We provide access to WordPress at Stirling. Contact the Information Centre with the name you'd like and your blog will get the name yourchoice.wordpress.stir.ac.uk assuming no-one else has already made that choice
• Blogger http://www.blogger.com/ free weblog publishing tool from Google, for sharing text, photos and video
• Windows Live Writer 2011 http://explore.live.com/windows-live-writer/?os=mac 
• Moveable Type http://www.moveabletype.com/ need to purchase a license
• Drupal http://drupal.org Drupal is an open source content management platform powering millions of websites and applications. It’s built, used, and supported by an active and diverse community of people around the world.

• 10 Social media tips for bloggers http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/social-media-bloggers-tips/
• LSE Blogging Help and Support for their staff http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/help/
• Research blogging, http://www.researchblogging.org/. ResearchBlogging.org is a system for identifying the best, most thoughtful blog posts about peer-reviewed research Please see http://www.researchblogging.org/static/index/page/help for details on registering your blog, and for information on how this site works.).  Can find blogs on particular suibjects
• M. Weller (2012) The virtues of blogging as a scholarly activity.  Chronicle of HIgher Education http://chronicle.com/article/The-Virtues-of-Blogging-as/131666/?CMP=
• List of resources on blogging http://bundlr.com/b/blogging-for-researchers

As a private space for reflection and note taking and for documentation.

As a collaborative space to share with the supervision team

• progress reports, ideas, resources, notes of meetings, early drafts of dissertation
• to receive feedback from the supervisors

As an external website to:

• record reflections on research, or events attended
• receive early feedback on research ideas
• develop a personal voice
• to publicise and promote research, or for public engagement
• network for funding and employment opportunities
• build a community of researchers with similar research interests
• recruit participants for research
• share personal resolutions with readers
• keep social connections with family and friends