One | 2023
A selection of current news items for managers of Early Career Researchers.
Note: Access to some of the publications referenced here is metered and/or involves a free registration of basic details, and we hope you find the material worth any inconvenience. We never knowingly include paywalled articles, but there are sometimes differences between jurisdictions and we hope that your institution’s subscriptions will allow you to see any pieces that turn out to be restricted in your location.
Research matters
No role model. Yikes: fewer than half of researchers in the US and Europe are confident about their own institution’s support for research integrity.
Research ‘contribution mapping’. A comprehensive solution to capturing the variety and extent of research impacts is still some way off.
Tracking impact. BMJ’s Impact Analytics tool is designed to take the time and effort out of tracing the impact of research and policy in health and social care.
Skills to progress. A study of 41,000 academic job ads in Europe assessed the key attributes sought after by employers at different career stages.
The Tao of teaching. Interest and demand is growing in careers in education research.
Rewards of review. Preprint review is an effective way for ECRs to develop and demonstrate desirable transferrable skills to employers in any field.
Preprint access improved. Web of Science has added a new dimension to its services with its Preprint Citation Index.
A huge amount has been written already about the fast-evolving field of AI and ChatBots, and the following is just a handful of recent articles discussing the pro and cons for the research sector:
Au fait with AI. There’s no avoiding tools like ChatGPT, so how will we embrace them, detect them and manage their use?
Learning, thought and craft. Compelling arguments for the many benefits of the ‘hard, messy work’ of writing text ourselves.
AI can also lie. A cautionary tale about the capAIcity for deceit.
More tool than talent. Thoughts on the potential value and practical uses of AI tools like ChatGPT - like writing multiple choice questions.
Your new career coach? Whether it is facilitating networking or coaching you during interview preparation, AI can provide you with useful tools.
Management matters
Prof. and professional. Scholarly achievement is no sure predictor of leadership skills yet is often the main criterion for recruiting leaders in academia - so what needs to change?
Owner, pioneer, influencer. A largely self-taught senior research leader offers an inclusive, growth-mindset view of leadership.
Authorship arguments. Simple systemic suggestions for pre-empting damaging authorship disputes.
Honest mistake, honourable response. A lead author reflects on the hard lessons learned in retracting a high-profile paper.
Team studies. A look at the new ways of thinking, approaches and tools required to make ‘hyper-author’ team-project publications work.
Less is more? In collaborations, the authors’ previous citation impact may be more likely to lead to highly-cited research than a big body of publications.
Write location. The virtues of academic writing groups are well documented, and creating a dedicated space for them can have multiple benefits.
Personal press
Focus on values. A ‘meaningful career’ is the end-result of lining up our work with what matters most to us.
Control in a job search. Six principles for taking charge of your half of the employment process.
Getting it done. For anyone struggling with maintaining good writing ‘hygiene’, Written has many practical things to say about approach, tactics and mindset.
Many facets to productivity. Advice on setting realistic deadlines, tackling a blank page and appreciating the value of your own work.
Win back time. The idea of time-tracking might sound awful but it can help you stop using home time as a buffer.
Downtime for leaders. The research is in: disconnecting from work after hours makes you a better leader.
The art of email. Six rules to give email messages the best chance of being read and getting a worthwhile response.
Well met. We all know how bad meetings can be, so here’s a detailed guide on how not to ‘do unto others…’!
Serious research
‘And now, for your dessertation…’. Academic nomenclature that doesn’t exist yet, but absolutely should!
Would your researchers benefit from personalised and intensive workshops on topics such as career planning, time management or networking? Have a look at our range of workshops or contact us at info@postdoctraining.com to discuss your training requirements.