How to improve your research impact: YouTube series

Collates eighteen mini-videos on how to improve your research impact, based on a presentation at Middlesex University

After dabbling a bit with YouTube over the 2020 Summer holidays, I launched my first series of videos in September on the topic of measuring research impact.  In October, I launched a second series about improving your research impact and, based on this presentation and this blogpost. Most videos are an easy 2-5 minutes long, with a couple of 7-10 minute ones.

This blogpost collates all these videos for easy reference. The introductory video is linked below, but I have also discussed all 18 videos in the four sections below. At the end of this post you'll also find four 15-20 minute playlists so you can watch all 18 videos in four easy sessions.

The basics: what is impact, why care about it, and how to get cited?

After a quick introduction to the series, I discuss the five different forms of research impact and explain whay I am focusing on academic impact - typically measured as citations - in this series of videos. Then I explain the reasons why you should care about citations. The fourth and longest video reviews the four C's of getting cited: competence, communication, collaboration and care, which are also discussed in this white paper. I hope these videos will convince you that paying attention to research impact is crucial.

Why engage in social media & use repositories?

The first and longest of this set of videos provides you with an introduction to social media use and explains why it is important in academia. It then introduces my own "8 steps to impact workflow". The first steps in this workflow (creating a pre-publication version and uploading it on your university repository and other online repositories) might not be terribly exciting, but they are very important to lay the groundwork for impact. So do watch these videos, they are only 1.5-3 minutes each.

Using ResearchGate, LinkedIn & Twitter to increase impact

After the basics, three substantive 4-9 minute videos explaining how to use ResearchGate, LinkedIn and Twitter to ensure your research achieves the impact it deserves. I also included a short 1.5-minute video on how to launch publicity for your paper by writing up a short blogpost.

Google Scholar, blogging & tips for time-poor academics

The final videos explain how to get the most about your Google Scholar Profile, but also how to use the "old-fashioned" method of emailing your paper to individual academics effectively. A short video explains why you absolutely need to keep your profile up to date. Video #17 then provides a comprehensive 9-minute overview of blogging. Finally, I give some recommendation on what to do if you really don't have much time and still want to achieve some of the benefits.

Four easy playlists: watch them all!

All of the above eighteen videos are included in the four playlists below, so you can watch them in four easy chunks of 15-20 minutes. Hope you enjoy them. If you do, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and/or drop me a line to let me know.

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