This week the Sax Institute took over Croakey’s @wepublichealth Twitter account as guest editors. We enjoyed some insightful discussions around the use of Twitter as a research tool that covered both the pros and cons, and as the week progressed initiated some in depth coverage around the value of linked data and open access journals.
What researchers said about Twitter
Twitter is seen by many researchers as a way to track down references, catch up on missed talks and conferences and is “the best way to find the right people/departments with common goals”.
The social platform also helps highlight research that is particularly relevant to academics but paywalls often prevent access.
Lesley Russell Wolpe, Adjunct Associate Professor, Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney was among the top Tweeters to repond to our Tweet: “Today we’re having a discussion about how researchers can use Twitter for their work. Would love to hear about your experience, good or bad?”
Lesley shared the following:
Have had help from twitter colleagues to track down needed references https://t.co/Q37byCVKsd
— Lesley Russell Wolpe (@LRussellWolpe) June 5, 2017
Tweets from key journals help highlight what I should be reading – but paywalls are bad
— Lesley Russell Wolpe (@LRussellWolpe) June 5, 2017
I find social media particularly useful for catching up on missed talks at conferences. Great live tweeting of talks really helps!
— Jeffrey Maloy (@JeffreyMaloy) June 5, 2017
As a practitioner is how I find out about new reports and research. Not a perfect system but if you follow right people it can be effective
— Leah Galvin (@leah_galvin) June 6, 2017
And now to downsides: pile-ons, stalky types, sub-tweeting, hashtag dog whistlers, misunderstanding from short format.
— Julie Leask (@JulieLeask) June 5, 2017
You can look (and listen) to me explain how I use twitter and other social media platforms for work here! https://t.co/ISn6aJbyCy #scicomm
— Dr Cameron Webb (@Mozziebites) June 5, 2017
PUBLICATION DATE
05 June 2017
