Fostering a Research Culture

David Beavan Senior Research Associate & Research Manager UCL Department of Information Studies UCL Centre for Digital Humanities

@DavidBeavan http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dis/people/davidbeavan/

Research Definition

“Systematic investigation or inquiry aimed at contributing to knowledge of a theory, topic, etc., by careful consideration, observation, or study of a subject.” “research, n.” OED Online. March 2010. Oxford University Press. 26 September 2012 <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/163432>

Research

1793 W. Rowley Rational Pract. Physic III. Introd. p. vi, To consider with candor what has been the product of much laborious research and experiment.

Research

1956 Nature 15 Sept. 562/2 There seems to have been a regrettable lack of research on nubility in women.

Research

1998 Independent 24 Nov. ii. 13/2 New research on the effects of exercise has found that there are hidden dangers in having too much of it.

Research

1752 D. Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) II. 9 These researches may appear painful and fatiguing.

Research

•  You have already done it: when you chose to come to UCL

•  Start with an idea or challenge •  Read up on it •  Investigate your situation •  Find out what it means

Academic Research

•  Start with an idea or challenge –  something novel, something never done before

•  Read up on it –  what methods can you use? –  what data do you have?

•  Investigate your situation –  what do you find out?

•  Find out what that means –  Publish and be read by the world!

Academic Research

•  Big investigations, big projects –  years long, teams of many people, PhD scholarships

•  Externally funded –  research council, public body, governmental money

•  Competitive –  funding is applied for, success rate 1 in 10

•  Must demonstrate impact –  effect societal change, something of value to public

Research Manager (me!)

•  Catalyst for this academic research process •  Work alongside research active staff •  Primarily based in UCL Centre for Digital

Humanities (UCLDH) •  Also working across entire Department of

Information Studies

Research Manager (me!)

•  The nosey •  The cunning •  The crafty •  The banker •  The spin doctor

Understand aims (the nosey)

•  What are the strategic aims of DIS and UCLDH? •  What are the aims and career of individual staff? •  What are the goals and areas of focus for funders?

•  Find the best possible match for success

Form plans (the cunning)

•  What will we do? •  What do we need? •  What might we find? •  How important is it? •  How will we tell the academic audience? •  How will we tell the world?

•  Create a cunning plan

Form teams (the crafty)

•  Who do we need? •  What do they add? •  What do they want? •  This will be a genuine collaboration

•  The whole is greater than the sum of the parts

Form budget (the banker)

•  How much can we ask for? •  How much do staff cost? •  How much does equipment cost? •  How much does travel and accommodation cost?

•  We must demonstrate value

Apply for funding (the spin doctor)

•  Write a LOT of paperwork •  Justify the project’s requirements •  Meet the funder’s requirements •  Confidently pitch the proposal

•  Make them want you

And there’s more…

•  Get internal approval •  Reply to peer reviews •  Set up financial accounts •  Recruit new team members •  Find physical space for new staff •  Order equipment

Active UCLDH Research Projects

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dh/projects/

Research

1818 R. Southey Let. 8 Sept. in Life & Corr. (1855) 366/1 Biography..is likely to succeed; and, with the London libraries at hand, the research for it would be rather pleasurable than toilsome.

Fostering a Research Culture

David Beavan Senior Research Associate & Research Manager UCL Department of Information Studies UCL Centre for Digital Humanities

@DavidBeavan http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dis/people/davidbeavan/