Online networking

The internet offers enormous opportunities for networking. Online communications are an increasingly essential part of research networks. It is easier than attending conferences or meeting face to face with potential collaborators. We are now able to be in constant contact with people, regardless of location. If used carefully, online communications also offer opportunities to make and develop new contacts.

General principles

• Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say face to face
• Be aware of how public and permanent your contributions are
• Be considerate and refrain from spamming and flaming
• Try to see the individuals behind the emails or discussion board posts and notice whether you have met them before either online or offline.

This page suggests ways in which you might be able to use a variety of technologies:

• email
• websites
• blogs
• discussion groups
• social networking software - to enhance your networking.

It also draws attention to some common pitfalls. Remember you can always phone or meet face to face where this would add to the depth or the efficiency of your communication.

Email

Email is good to:

• follow up contacts that you have made in person
• remind people that you exist
• correspond with people you know well
• announce conferences, meetings, publications to lists of people that you have found a common interest with.

Email is bad for:

• cold calling
• getting a response
• standing out.

But email is very good at annoying people!

Websites

Setting up a website around your research topic presents a powerful opportunity for networking.

Websites are good for:

• self promotion, as they allow you to present yourself and your research in the way you choose
• creating a description of your research that can be found by other researchers via a google search
• making available resources that you want to make public
• extending the scope of a business card or email by giving someone a way to find out more about you
• creating a semi-permanent repository for your work.

Websites can also be responsible for:

• taking up a lot of your time
• giving you the illusion that you are being listened to
• making you look foolish or like a nerd to the whole world.

Blogs

As an alternative to setting up your own website you might want to consider using a blogging tool to run your own research blog.

Blogs are a good way to:

• keep a research diary
• allow you to publish thoughts/work with minimal technical skills
• provide you with an appropriate medium for work-in-progress discussions
• provide other researchers/interested parties with a way to comment on what you are doing.

Blogs can also:

• lull you into a false sense of privacy
• allow/encourage you to make things public before they are ready
• take up your time
• convince you that people are listening when they are not.

If you are interested in blogging you may find that your institution can provide you with access to a blogging tool. If not, have a look at Seven blogging tools reviewed to help you choose the right tool.

Discussion groups

Discussion groups are good to:

• hear about the hot topics
• access a whole academic community in one place
• have interesting and high-level academic discussions
• make a name for yourself.

Unfortunately, discussion groups are also good for:

• annoying people
• cliques
• giving you the illusion that people are listening
• making an idiot of yourself in front of people who might matter to your career.

Good sites for finding discussion lists:

• JISCMail National Academic Mailing List Service
• H-Net for humanities and social ciences.

Have a look at these to see if there are any discussion groups that you should sign up to.

Social networking software

Social networking software (SNS) now exists for a whole host of different functions. Increasingly, researchers are examining what potential it might have to help develop research networks.

Social networking software is good to:

• enable you to access an academic community
• use the people you know to help you make contacts
• help you to keep track of who you are in contact with
• give you access to tools that facilitate networking e.g. blogs, file share, messaging applications.

Social networking software can be problematic because:

• the culture of SNS can encourage you to be overly informal
• it can reduce your privacy
• it can take up a lot of your time
• your personal and professional networks can become more entwined than you might desire.

You are probably aware of SNS such as MySpace and Facebook. You may find these useful in your networking, but the following sites are designed with professional or academic networking in mind.

• Graduate Junction
• LinkedIn
• Ning
• ResearchGATE