Video Summaries: How Online Videos Can Help Researchers Promote Their Research
Scientists rely on research promotion to spread their ideas. There are many different ways to do so. Academic journals are an avenue into the scientific community. Journals provide a forum to spread ideas and to highlight new academic research. Furthermore, blogs are another way that scientists can distribute their work. This offers scientists their own forum for research promotion, with a focus on the topics that interest them. Also, scientists rely on universities to offer them a platform for promoting their work. This can be done through classes, seminars, speeches, and campus activities.
However, there is another option that more and more scientists are choosing to promote their academic research: Online Videos.
Main Benefits of Using Videos to Promote Academic Research
Scientists understand how difficult it is for others to access their research. As biologist Adrian A. Smith says, “I’d realized that most people would be lost in my papers’ technical jargon and formatting.” Therefore, Smith titled his article “YouTube your science” because that is a model he believes will help scientists reach a wider audience. With this in mind, here are some approaches that scientists are now following.
There are many benefits to using online videos for research promotion.
Reaching a Wider Audience
Posting a video of your research on social media allows it to reach a wider audience. Social media provides a direct link to countless people across the world. This form of networking is greatly beneficial to scientists. It can also lead to further discussions about research topics and collaboration among researchers.
A More Personal Approach
Just like a teacher in a classroom, online video feels like the researcher is speaking to you. This is more personable than simply reading an article.
In addition, this format allows the researcher to thoroughly explain his research ideas. These ideas might not be clear when read in a journal article.
Promoting Published Papers
Video abstracts serve as an introduction to a published paper and are an excellent way to promote research. Video abstracts do not require much time or technical expertise. They can be a good way to increase awareness and readership of a scientist’s research.
An Example of a Video Summary
Adrian A. Smith’s research focuses on ants. He was concerned that he was not able to spread his research effectively through articles only. So, he needed to embrace the format of video summaries. Smith began by filming a chat about his research. He then added some visual aids to accompany his script. These included pictures of ants and diagrams of the chemicals that the ants use in communication. Then, he was able to go deeper into the specifics of his research. The combination of his script with the visuals allowed him to more effectively explain the importance of his research. It gave the viewer an easier approach to understanding his study and its findings.
Tips for Creating Effective Video Summaries
Here are some steps you can take to create an effective video:
- Gather the equipment needed to make a video.
- Choose a format. Do you want the video to resemble a lecture? Or, do you want it to be more interactive?
- Write a script. With the length of the video in mind, you will be able to outline a script.
- Record, edit, and upload the video.
- Take advantage of E-tools. There are plenty of e-tools a researcher can use to make videos. These range from Enago’s Open Access Journal Finder to PaperHive, a collaborative site for researchers to communicate. In addition, there are also software programs for reference management, keyword optimization, and impact tracking.
- Promote your video. Have a strong social media strategy in place to drive traffic to your videos. Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are good for networking with other academics, students, and professionals. Be sure to keep your information current. Upload new research and links to your work and make the content interesting and relevant.
