Research has always existed in at least a fundamental form, but as technology has increased, so have the expectations and demands of researchers. The purpose remains the same: to inform readers in a way that impacts a change in social or academic norms. But the method to drive that purpose home has come a long way over the centuries.

Traditionally, researchers have faced the challenge of being unable to disseminate their findings quickly enough and to a vast enough audience to create the impact they required. Today’s Digital Era solves that issue but brings up other obstacles, such as ensuring the validity of the research that is published. Academic blogging is a solution to help enable researchers to convey their findings through a vehicle that can reach a global readership.

Today’s Research Publication Methods

Traditional publishing was always in paper format, through journals and articles. While this worked well as a means to ensuring the information in the work was legitimate, since scholars had to pass through strict guidelines before they could be published, it faced the obstacle of having reduced readership, limited to those with subscriptions or access to the publication through a library.

Today’s electronic publishing mediums don’t all have the level of strict requirements that reputable journals have, but it’s easier for researchers to get their work out to the public and the audience is much wider. The mediums themselves are in different formats, speaking to those who learn on different levels, such as:

●      Podcasts, where researchers can read, or have someone else read, their findings orally to discuss the results. These read differently than a dry, factual research article, but still give the same information. Because they’re auditory, using microphones and recorders as the basic equipment, they attract a different type of audience. And because the recording equipment doesn’t have to be sophisticated, it’s easy for a beginner in the world of podcasts and technology to quickly learn the techniques.

●      Open source publishing, similar to journal publications, but researchers pay to have their work distributed for free online. This benefits the author because their findings reach a wider audience, making a stronger, longer-lasting impact in the field they are working in. While these beginning research papers might not pay off for what the scholar has invested in them, the hope is that their name begins to be affiliated with their field of work, making them an expert.

●      Academic blogging - Blogs are websites dedicated to a set of content written by the same author or group of writers. With a typical blog, the entries are casual and shorter than a research paper. An academic blog specifically focuses on subject matter content. Since the format is informal, blogs attract a wide readership and are quickly becoming the go-to method of conveying information by scholars around the world.

Podcasts and open-source publishing are popular, but academic blogging is picking up speed as the vehicle of choice when it comes to discussing information on a public forum.

Using Academic Blogging as a Researcher

If you’re new to the world of blogging but want to get started, there are copious sites available to help you. However, there are a few key points that you’ll want to know as you begin this new endeavor to ensure you make the widest impact. Keep these tips in mind as you become an academic blogger:

●      Your blog hosting site matters. Make sure it’s reputable and has high-security measures in place. You don’t want your visitors coming to your site and having their sensitive data hijacked. You also want to make sure the hosting site gives you ample storage room to house your old publications.

●      Remember that what you write is permanent. Even if you delete a post, after it’s made public, there’s no telling who may have access to it. It’s possible for anyone to take a picture or screenshot your work, keeping evidence of its existence. If you aren’t sure you want something to be attributed to you forever, don’t publish it on your blog.

●      You still must give credit to other sources when you’re writing an academic blog. This is similar to citing in your research paper. Your readers are going to expect that what you’re saying is coming from you, and another researcher who had the original idea will not be happy if their work is attached to your name.

With these tips in mind, you can find a platform to get started. You’ll quickly fall in love with the enjoyment of writing academically yet informally. It’s a mix that not every researcher gets to enjoy!

Impactio Can Help Your Academic Blogging

When you’re looking to establish credibility in your academic blogs, Impactio can help you design professional web pages that can easily transfer to your hosting site. Take your research work and turn them into impressive data through charts, tables, and graphs. Break your accomplishments into sections that you can optimize for blogging.

Additionally, when you set up your academic profile on Impactio, you can assign your web page to your name, making it visible to the entire Impactio community of experts in the global network.

To make the most of your academic blogging, use Impactio as your all-in-one platform for publishing.