Here is my suggested list of academic activities for you to engage in over the holiday...
1) Read some book chapters and journals for upcoming assignments.
2) Engage with some academic texts and make some notes on what you've remembered.
3) Open some of the tomes in the library and look at the words which make up the sentences.
Then record some of these sentences.
4) Find some academic literature from your chosen subject; then look at it.
5) Find publication, peruse publication.
6) Locate text, conduct scrutiny of pages.
Got the message yet?!?! Good!
I wish you all a relaxing and warm break (punctuated by some reading, maybe?) and I'll see you again in January. My last day is tomorrow (Tuesday) and I won't be going near social media over Christmas so hopefully you'll be fine.
Much love and a successful 2015 to you all.
Alan
Monday, 15 December 2014
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
The What, Why and How of Podcasts
It's easier than it's ever been to make information come to you.
Missed a TV show? Just use catch-up or on demand services.
Missed a gig? Someone will have recorded it and put it online.
Very little media is now gone forever and radio shows can be caught up with via Soundcloud or Podcasts.
This post is just looking at Podcasts and how you can use and reference them effectively.
You can find Podcasts in every corner of the web and if you're unsure of what they actually are then it's simply a digital recording of a radio show which is converted into an MP3 format, so it can easily be downloaded. Podcasting is easy and all you need is a mic and a web-enabled device.
There's a lot of Podcasts out there (both on itunes and elsewhere) that are certainly broadly relevant to the social sciences so you'll need to explore, but I'm going to suggest five specific Casts that I think are worth a listen.
1) Thinking Allowed is a Podcast covering the Sociology radio show on radio 4.
2) Digital Human is a show debating different psychological/sociological aspects of our relationship with the Web.
3) British Psychological Society (BPS) Podcasts page is a list of psychology-related programmes, some of which cover topics of interest to anyone studying criminology, child-related topics or mental health.
4) More or Less is a good listen for anyone trying to get their head around statistics and research-it's much more interesting than it sounds!
5) Podology is a general resource for sociological-related Podcasts. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but certainly worth an explore.
Finally, remember you can reference Podcasts. If you need help with that bit then use your unit handbook or contact me and I'll show you the format.
Happy listening.
Missed a TV show? Just use catch-up or on demand services.
Missed a gig? Someone will have recorded it and put it online.
Very little media is now gone forever and radio shows can be caught up with via Soundcloud or Podcasts.
This post is just looking at Podcasts and how you can use and reference them effectively.
You can find Podcasts in every corner of the web and if you're unsure of what they actually are then it's simply a digital recording of a radio show which is converted into an MP3 format, so it can easily be downloaded. Podcasting is easy and all you need is a mic and a web-enabled device.
There's a lot of Podcasts out there (both on itunes and elsewhere) that are certainly broadly relevant to the social sciences so you'll need to explore, but I'm going to suggest five specific Casts that I think are worth a listen.
1) Thinking Allowed is a Podcast covering the Sociology radio show on radio 4.
2) Digital Human is a show debating different psychological/sociological aspects of our relationship with the Web.
3) British Psychological Society (BPS) Podcasts page is a list of psychology-related programmes, some of which cover topics of interest to anyone studying criminology, child-related topics or mental health.
4) More or Less is a good listen for anyone trying to get their head around statistics and research-it's much more interesting than it sounds!
5) Podology is a general resource for sociological-related Podcasts. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but certainly worth an explore.
Finally, remember you can reference Podcasts. If you need help with that bit then use your unit handbook or contact me and I'll show you the format.
Happy listening.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Kate Tempest, subjectivity and truth and the need for more rap on this blog
As part of my critical thinking lecture I like to have a debate with you on what counts as truth or fact.
One of the reasons this is fun is because it's never the same twice. I can never tell which bit is going to rile people and which bit is going to go unchallenged. This week it was about whether countries (specifically Spain!) exist in any 'factual' sense. The idea that countries change borders, languages and populations to me suggests that countries are as transient as individual lives. Borders are often arbitrarily drawn up by third parties, as in the case of India and Pakistan.
Anyway. In other news, I've been listening to the Kate Tempest LP a lot these past weeks (she should have won the Mercury prize this year...) and it's currently my 5th favourite LP of the year. These things matter.
There's a track on it called The Truth which features these lines:
"Whose truth even counts?
One final thing; it's also a bit sweary at one point so don't play if you're likely to be offended.
Alan
One of the reasons this is fun is because it's never the same twice. I can never tell which bit is going to rile people and which bit is going to go unchallenged. This week it was about whether countries (specifically Spain!) exist in any 'factual' sense. The idea that countries change borders, languages and populations to me suggests that countries are as transient as individual lives. Borders are often arbitrarily drawn up by third parties, as in the case of India and Pakistan.
Anyway. In other news, I've been listening to the Kate Tempest LP a lot these past weeks (she should have won the Mercury prize this year...) and it's currently my 5th favourite LP of the year. These things matter.
There's a track on it called The Truth which features these lines:
"Whose truth even counts?
Is it the person who doubts
What a person proclaims they're about?
Whose version is perfect?
Is there a truth that exists
Outside of perception?
This is the question".
I love that. Clearly, I need to include more lyrics to illustrate my points.
Expect a Coldplay song at some point in the future to illustrate how we're all doomed...I love that. Clearly, I need to include more lyrics to illustrate my points.
One final thing; it's also a bit sweary at one point so don't play if you're likely to be offended.
Alan
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Critical Thinking
Tomorrow I'll be seeing some of you for a lecture on critical thinking.
So in addition to the oh-so-lucky ones who are attending, I thought I'd give a general explanation as to what critical thinking is.
Put simply, it's about questioning everything and not assuming facts are unchanging. Because they're not.
Facts are transient, like opinions, countries, people and theories. So that's what tomorrow will partly be about. It'll also touch on how you can pick apart theories and research too. This is a tremendous skill to have in readiness for your dissertation, because the option to be more refined in your selection of materials is key in final year.
We have loads of books (both electronic and paper) which cover the skills required to be a critical thinker. The e-book I'd recommend as a starting point is this one by Aveyard but there's plenty of others on the shelves.
One more thing.
Any of you who've had sessions with me previously will know that I'm interested in engaging with you. Not just talking at you but having a proper two-way conversation. Tomorrow will be no different. However, there are times to speak and times to stay quiet and listen and I've recently been involved in conversations between students and lecturers on the thorny issue of classroom disruption.
In my lectures and training sessions you get one chance. If you continue to talk over me, use your phone or disrupt others I will ask you to leave. My time with students is too precious to be wasted.
That aside, I'm hoping that the lecture will confuse, bemuse and eventually inform you.
See you tomorrow, second years.
So in addition to the oh-so-lucky ones who are attending, I thought I'd give a general explanation as to what critical thinking is.
Put simply, it's about questioning everything and not assuming facts are unchanging. Because they're not.
Facts are transient, like opinions, countries, people and theories. So that's what tomorrow will partly be about. It'll also touch on how you can pick apart theories and research too. This is a tremendous skill to have in readiness for your dissertation, because the option to be more refined in your selection of materials is key in final year.
We have loads of books (both electronic and paper) which cover the skills required to be a critical thinker. The e-book I'd recommend as a starting point is this one by Aveyard but there's plenty of others on the shelves.
One more thing.
Any of you who've had sessions with me previously will know that I'm interested in engaging with you. Not just talking at you but having a proper two-way conversation. Tomorrow will be no different. However, there are times to speak and times to stay quiet and listen and I've recently been involved in conversations between students and lecturers on the thorny issue of classroom disruption.
In my lectures and training sessions you get one chance. If you continue to talk over me, use your phone or disrupt others I will ask you to leave. My time with students is too precious to be wasted.
That aside, I'm hoping that the lecture will confuse, bemuse and eventually inform you.
See you tomorrow, second years.
Monday, 24 November 2014
New report on poverty and social exclusion in the UK
Hello again.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has produced the latest in their series of excellent reports on poverty in the UK. Even compared to recent research in this area, it makes for grim reading. It states that the number of people trapped in low wage jobs are on the increase and 1 in 5 working age adults without children are living in poverty. The reasons for these conclusions are clearly complex, although JRF highlights low wages, higher rents and changes in the welfare system as key.
If you haven't heard me promote the JRF before it's a very good source of evidence-based research specialising in the links between poverty, housing and wages. They produce a vast range of reports which you can access by going here. It's all free and it's all fine to reference.
The latest report is available in full from here, or if you'd prefer the Guardian's summary on what was written then have a look here.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has produced the latest in their series of excellent reports on poverty in the UK. Even compared to recent research in this area, it makes for grim reading. It states that the number of people trapped in low wage jobs are on the increase and 1 in 5 working age adults without children are living in poverty. The reasons for these conclusions are clearly complex, although JRF highlights low wages, higher rents and changes in the welfare system as key.
If you haven't heard me promote the JRF before it's a very good source of evidence-based research specialising in the links between poverty, housing and wages. They produce a vast range of reports which you can access by going here. It's all free and it's all fine to reference.
The latest report is available in full from here, or if you'd prefer the Guardian's summary on what was written then have a look here.
Thursday, 20 November 2014
Credo vs Wikipedia
You know how using Wikipedia makes your lecturers really grumpy?
Well we have a huge online collection of encyclopedias and dictionaries which you can not only read without fear but reference without anyone getting upset too. It's called Credo and it looks like this.
You access it by just typing Credo into the normal library catalogue and follow the links.
Use it to find detailed biographies of theorists, the origins of theories or specific topics. It's easy to use and you can reference it, save your articles and even produce mind maps of individual searches.
A couple of things to remember in relation to using it; use "speech marks" to ensure accuracy and the subject option on the left to narrow down your options.
If you'd like me to arrange a session with you on using Credo (ideally a small group would be best) then contact me directly or ask via one of your lecturers.
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
How many references do I need?
There are certain tricky questions I've developed stock answers for.
Questions like, do you write assignments, what's the point of post-modernism and how do I get crime statistics on left-handed burglars called Geoff in the UK?
But the big one is always 'how many references do I need?' The problem with the answer is the problem with the question. How do you quantify enough of anything? Enough to pass? Enough to get an 'A'? The question also presupposes that all references are equally good; they're not. So an assignment with 20 poor references probably won't be marked as highly as an assignment with 12 good quality ones. Put simply, the quantity is secondary, the quality is primary.
For dissertations this 'how many is enough' question is particularly difficult. For undergrads you're partly constrained by your word limit. You couldn't physically fit 300 references into a 6000 word dissertation even if you wanted to.
The best advice I can offer is this; look at how academics write journal articles, look at how they use referencing to construct and support their arguments and look at how often they do this. That should give you a pretty good idea of how often to reference whilst your writing, and in so doing you'll naturally end up with enough academic back up to write a decent piece of work.
Questions like, do you write assignments, what's the point of post-modernism and how do I get crime statistics on left-handed burglars called Geoff in the UK?
But the big one is always 'how many references do I need?' The problem with the answer is the problem with the question. How do you quantify enough of anything? Enough to pass? Enough to get an 'A'? The question also presupposes that all references are equally good; they're not. So an assignment with 20 poor references probably won't be marked as highly as an assignment with 12 good quality ones. Put simply, the quantity is secondary, the quality is primary.
The best advice I can offer is this; look at how academics write journal articles, look at how they use referencing to construct and support their arguments and look at how often they do this. That should give you a pretty good idea of how often to reference whilst your writing, and in so doing you'll naturally end up with enough academic back up to write a decent piece of work.
Monday, 17 November 2014
A guide to sessions with dissertation supervisors
At present I can summarise the content of my email inbox like this: aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhh, HEEEEEEEEELLLLPPP, aaaaargggh. This is typically followed by the sound of explosions or crying or wine bottles being opened. Welcome to the sound of final year students having the most enormous meltdown.
Why? Because it's that time of year when dissertation planning tends to reach a peak of anxiety.
My advice is very, very simple. Work through it steadily and you'll be absolutely fine. Don't binge-search because it isn't effective. Instead it leads to frustration and boredom.
You should also be having conversations and discussions with your supervisors by now too.
So here's my advice to get the best from these precious sessions...
1) Go back and read about the major 'isms'. By this I mean feminism, post-modernism, essentialism, functionalism and Marxism. A chapter on each would be fine to refamiliarise yourself with what they say. Alternatively use an online encyclopedia such as Credo to go back to basics. This is the Wikipedia that you can reference.
2) Don't turn up for meetings expecting to be told what to do. It's your dissertation so own it. That means do plenty of prep before you see supervisors and send them things in advance so that they know what's to be discussed.
3) Some supervisors will set deadlines and some won't so you may need to negotiate when things are done. My advice is to set mini-deadlines rather than fixate on the final one. That could take the form of 'this section finished in two weeks' or '500 words written by this date'. It'll take the pressure off as you go along.
4) Remember it's a negotiation. Be diplomatic. Knowing when to be firm and when to concede points comes from a position of knowledge. In other words, read and read and read. It's the only way and there's no short cuts. It's how you win arguments and it's how you write about things that interest you.
5) Finally, think about the methodology in detail. Don't leave it until the end. This is one of those things that drives supervisors crazy so make it clear in meetings that you're thinking about these issues now, because it won't wait until after Christmas.
Hopefully that will help keep you on track.
You know where I am if you need me. Just don't expect me to reply within 10 seconds of reading another message that begins, "aaaargggghhh...heeeeelp....."
Why? Because it's that time of year when dissertation planning tends to reach a peak of anxiety.
My advice is very, very simple. Work through it steadily and you'll be absolutely fine. Don't binge-search because it isn't effective. Instead it leads to frustration and boredom.
You should also be having conversations and discussions with your supervisors by now too.
So here's my advice to get the best from these precious sessions...
1) Go back and read about the major 'isms'. By this I mean feminism, post-modernism, essentialism, functionalism and Marxism. A chapter on each would be fine to refamiliarise yourself with what they say. Alternatively use an online encyclopedia such as Credo to go back to basics. This is the Wikipedia that you can reference.
2) Don't turn up for meetings expecting to be told what to do. It's your dissertation so own it. That means do plenty of prep before you see supervisors and send them things in advance so that they know what's to be discussed.
3) Some supervisors will set deadlines and some won't so you may need to negotiate when things are done. My advice is to set mini-deadlines rather than fixate on the final one. That could take the form of 'this section finished in two weeks' or '500 words written by this date'. It'll take the pressure off as you go along.
4) Remember it's a negotiation. Be diplomatic. Knowing when to be firm and when to concede points comes from a position of knowledge. In other words, read and read and read. It's the only way and there's no short cuts. It's how you win arguments and it's how you write about things that interest you.
5) Finally, think about the methodology in detail. Don't leave it until the end. This is one of those things that drives supervisors crazy so make it clear in meetings that you're thinking about these issues now, because it won't wait until after Christmas.
Hopefully that will help keep you on track.
You know where I am if you need me. Just don't expect me to reply within 10 seconds of reading another message that begins, "aaaargggghhh...heeeeelp....."
Monday, 10 November 2014
Anna's thoughts on dissertation planning
As a visual learner I am constantly having to organise my thoughts!
Examtime mind maps are an excellent way to elaborate on my understanding. Take a look at my working progress mind map on Social Research Methods, full of all that irritating terminology, but it becomes so much easier once I've visualised it, I can then go on to check it with others and edit whenever I need to, I can also print and put the latest installment into my ARC folder. (Expecting a lot of corrections thrown at me now that I've had the guts to put it out there.) This was a good way to exercise my brain and recheck all my notions in my social research books.
Alongside that I am communicating with my dissertation supervisor, throwing out my ideas and having them refined and channeled into good old fashioned hard work, but at least I can pat myself on the back!
So that's step 2 to for my third and final year of university - what have you done so far?
Friday, 17 October 2014
This year's workshops
Last year I ran fortnightly workshops which was open to all.
Apart from a few super-keen students who came along regularly, I saw neither hide nor hair of any of you.
This year will be different.
My plan is simply that I promote these things until you give in and come along.
This is what's going to happen; roughly every two week I'll sit in Training Room 1 waiting for you to turn up and ask me things. I'll then answer those things and you'll go away happier and more informed.
The pragmatic thinking behind this is quite simple; there's too many of you for me to fit into my working week as individual appointments. The workshops will allow me to answer similar inquiries and hopefully satisfy more students.
The more fluffy thinking is that I want you to feel more empowered by what you're studying.
That comes from knowing what you're doing, knowing the tricks (and they are tricks) to being a student and getting the most for WHAT YOU'VE PAYED FOR.
The first few workshops will run on the following days at 2pm in Training Room 1 in the LRC:
November 5th.
November 19th.
December 3rd.
December 17th.
It doesn't matter whether you're 2nd year undergrad or final year postgrad, just come along at any point between 2pm and 3pm and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
One final thing that'll be different from last year - I now regularly bake muffins so I promise a selection will be available for each workshop. See? Now you're interested...
Alan
Apart from a few super-keen students who came along regularly, I saw neither hide nor hair of any of you.
This year will be different.
My plan is simply that I promote these things until you give in and come along.
This is what's going to happen; roughly every two week I'll sit in Training Room 1 waiting for you to turn up and ask me things. I'll then answer those things and you'll go away happier and more informed.
The pragmatic thinking behind this is quite simple; there's too many of you for me to fit into my working week as individual appointments. The workshops will allow me to answer similar inquiries and hopefully satisfy more students.
The more fluffy thinking is that I want you to feel more empowered by what you're studying.
That comes from knowing what you're doing, knowing the tricks (and they are tricks) to being a student and getting the most for WHAT YOU'VE PAYED FOR.
The first few workshops will run on the following days at 2pm in Training Room 1 in the LRC:
November 5th.
November 19th.
December 3rd.
December 17th.
It doesn't matter whether you're 2nd year undergrad or final year postgrad, just come along at any point between 2pm and 3pm and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
One final thing that'll be different from last year - I now regularly bake muffins so I promise a selection will be available for each workshop. See? Now you're interested...
Alan
Monday, 13 October 2014
Now That's What I Call Criminology
Explaining all the variations n the range of published books, journals, methodologies and formats can be very confusing. Often the differences overlap or are at best unclear.
One of the most common sources of confusion for students setting out is the difference between edited books and 'normal' books. By way of a brief explanation, an edited book is written by lots of different people (typically one chapter each) and then the editors will be in overall charge of getting the chapters into shape.
One analogy I've used to explain this in the past is how music is bought.
It goes like this;
an edited book = Ministry of Sound 90's Anthems because every track is a different artist (including something by Prodigy)
whereas...
a book by a single author would = Songs for a Jilted Generation by Prodigy.
So one's a compilation and one's a single artist.
Simple.
Edited books are useful because you can compile lots of expertise into one tome and it shares out the effort of writing between many authors. If you're thinking of imminently using your Aspire card (sorry any post-grads reading this) then you could do worse than look at what introductory edited books are available for your units this year.
For my next post I'll be explaining the Peer Review process via interpretive dance...
One of the most common sources of confusion for students setting out is the difference between edited books and 'normal' books. By way of a brief explanation, an edited book is written by lots of different people (typically one chapter each) and then the editors will be in overall charge of getting the chapters into shape.
One analogy I've used to explain this in the past is how music is bought.
It goes like this;
an edited book = Ministry of Sound 90's Anthems because every track is a different artist (including something by Prodigy)
whereas...
a book by a single author would = Songs for a Jilted Generation by Prodigy.
So one's a compilation and one's a single artist.
Simple.
Edited books are useful because you can compile lots of expertise into one tome and it shares out the effort of writing between many authors. If you're thinking of imminently using your Aspire card (sorry any post-grads reading this) then you could do worse than look at what introductory edited books are available for your units this year.
For my next post I'll be explaining the Peer Review process via interpretive dance...
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Introducing my first columnist...
Hello. As much as I love writing posts and communicating generally I'm also very keen to open up these pages to students. One of the central tenets I try to teach by is the simple notion that information should, wherever possible, be a two-way thing. If I learn things from you it keeps me engaged in the subject and makes me a better librarian. With that in mind, I've always liked the idea of having guest posters on Bedtimes and Deadlines.
So Anna, who for no other reason than she's a good egg and has things to say, has agreed to write the occasional post for us this year. These will be student-focused in some way but could be about pretty much anything.
If you want to see what she's blogged about previously then her output on the Social Sciences Student Blog can be found here. It's very good.
Over to Anna...
My name is Anna McGough. I am not native to Luton but have lived and worked here since 2009, and began studying at the UoB in 2012. Now in my final year of my Child and Adolescent Studies Degree, I write to solidify what I have learned academically and the tricks of existence I entertain as I study and work part time.
Sooo…time to brush off the cobwebs and get back into "Uni Mode". No more money making overtime employment opportunities, no more 24/7 drinking binges and living it up like it's 1969 (and all that implies). If you're one of those students that didn't get around to the reading list that you wrote up back in April, then now is the time to take that scout motto and beCOME prepared!
I started a week ago, FINALLY clearing out my laptop's desktop, putting all those lectures and notes into their neat little folders…regretfully I lost a lot of useful stuff by carelessly deleting files but I have the most important things. I did a little reformatting and repair job on my laptop (once I'd backed it up) giving it some space and hopefully to dodge that dreaded crash that always seems to come when you're most valuable work is about to be saved (ie. dissertation!).
Ambled down to the bookshop JohnSmiths (http://www.johnsmith.co.uk/bedfordshire) and picked up some 2nd hand books at 30% cheaper (thanks last years students who cashed your books there instead of letting them gather dust after your graduation!), and I HAVE to tell you of this nifty notebook I found in Staples: ARC. As you can see from the pictures and tutorials it is a reasonably inexpensive way to organise your notebook the way you want it, with lined paper, blank pages, poly pockets, dividers, slides to stash your handouts and it you're as obsessed as me you can even buy your own puncher to transform your own papers and slot them right in! I paid £22 for my setup, take a look - loving filling it in!
So Anna, who for no other reason than she's a good egg and has things to say, has agreed to write the occasional post for us this year. These will be student-focused in some way but could be about pretty much anything.
If you want to see what she's blogged about previously then her output on the Social Sciences Student Blog can be found here. It's very good.
Over to Anna...
My name is Anna McGough. I am not native to Luton but have lived and worked here since 2009, and began studying at the UoB in 2012. Now in my final year of my Child and Adolescent Studies Degree, I write to solidify what I have learned academically and the tricks of existence I entertain as I study and work part time.Sooo…time to brush off the cobwebs and get back into "Uni Mode". No more money making overtime employment opportunities, no more 24/7 drinking binges and living it up like it's 1969 (and all that implies). If you're one of those students that didn't get around to the reading list that you wrote up back in April, then now is the time to take that scout motto and beCOME prepared!
I started a week ago, FINALLY clearing out my laptop's desktop, putting all those lectures and notes into their neat little folders…regretfully I lost a lot of useful stuff by carelessly deleting files but I have the most important things. I did a little reformatting and repair job on my laptop (once I'd backed it up) giving it some space and hopefully to dodge that dreaded crash that always seems to come when you're most valuable work is about to be saved (ie. dissertation!).
Ambled down to the bookshop JohnSmiths (http://www.johnsmith.co.uk/bedfordshire) and picked up some 2nd hand books at 30% cheaper (thanks last years students who cashed your books there instead of letting them gather dust after your graduation!), and I HAVE to tell you of this nifty notebook I found in Staples: ARC. As you can see from the pictures and tutorials it is a reasonably inexpensive way to organise your notebook the way you want it, with lined paper, blank pages, poly pockets, dividers, slides to stash your handouts and it you're as obsessed as me you can even buy your own puncher to transform your own papers and slot them right in! I paid £22 for my setup, take a look - loving filling it in!
Thursday, 11 September 2014
How to be curious about everything
They're also madly curious about everything they come across.
It doesn't matter if it's a worm, a shoe, an empty box or a piece of fluff, everything has to be examined from every angle, prodded, thrown up in the air and eventually tested for edibility.
The more I watch their indefatigable curiosity, the more I think what a brilliant outlook it must be; to see potential and wonder in any encounter with every new thing.
They seem to see opportunity in everything.
So when we shortly reconvene for another year of assignments, shenanigans, turmoil and triumphs, one of my messages will be to 'be curious'. Try and take pleasure in the finding of new things, new theorists, new music and new friends. This isn't one of those hypocrisy moments either - I'm going to be learning about new areas of research this year, and as mad as it may sound I think it's partly inspired by Arya and Audrey taking pleasure in the thrill of the new.
So here's to curiosity and every social science student (and kitten) who looks at the world as a giant adventure playground.
Friday, 8 August 2014
Think tanks
I've been thinking about referencing again. Sorry, but there it is. I've also been thinking about bias in research and how objectivity still seems to be the holy grail of social enquiry. Personally, I've never been entirely comfortable with the whole subject/object argument as I think we're more complicated than that.
Sometimes people know they're being subjective; the films of Michael Bay, Coldplay records, a restaurant menu where every other word is an adjective, IQ tests and Robbie Savage - these are all things that I'm hugely vocal and subjective about. My opinions are very much my own. But what about a theoretical approach? Does it have to aspire to neutrality or can it also be subjective?
The reason I'm asking the question is that I wanted to write about think tanks. You may have come across these institutes already, but in case you haven't let me explain what they are. A think tank is usually comprised of a group of academics who conduct research from a specific standpoint. Sometimes this standpoint can be political (left or right wing) or methodological (for example, action research) or issue based (such as environmentalism). Rarely do think tanks aspire to objectivity.
So the question for you, as a perspective user of think tank research is, should I read this stuff and stick it in my reference list?
My short answer is yes.
My long answer is yes, but be careful in what you choose. A range of resources is often a good approach if you want a broad scope to your assignment. So read things from multiple perspectives in order to examine themes and inconsistencies across a range of research.
If you'd like a succinct list of UK think tanks then the Guardian (who also have their own bias for you to think about!) produced a nice list last year. Have a look here if you're interested.
One final thing. I'm away now for a few weeks, but I'll be back for September when we'll be picking up the pace in readiness for the new term. Hope to see you soon.
Sometimes people know they're being subjective; the films of Michael Bay, Coldplay records, a restaurant menu where every other word is an adjective, IQ tests and Robbie Savage - these are all things that I'm hugely vocal and subjective about. My opinions are very much my own. But what about a theoretical approach? Does it have to aspire to neutrality or can it also be subjective?
The reason I'm asking the question is that I wanted to write about think tanks. You may have come across these institutes already, but in case you haven't let me explain what they are. A think tank is usually comprised of a group of academics who conduct research from a specific standpoint. Sometimes this standpoint can be political (left or right wing) or methodological (for example, action research) or issue based (such as environmentalism). Rarely do think tanks aspire to objectivity.
So the question for you, as a perspective user of think tank research is, should I read this stuff and stick it in my reference list?
My short answer is yes.
My long answer is yes, but be careful in what you choose. A range of resources is often a good approach if you want a broad scope to your assignment. So read things from multiple perspectives in order to examine themes and inconsistencies across a range of research.
If you'd like a succinct list of UK think tanks then the Guardian (who also have their own bias for you to think about!) produced a nice list last year. Have a look here if you're interested.
One final thing. I'm away now for a few weeks, but I'll be back for September when we'll be picking up the pace in readiness for the new term. Hope to see you soon.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
The use of victim impact statements
Hello.
A couple of hours ago I was hearing and reading about a new controversy concerning victim impact statements (VIS) and decided it was worth a post. If you haven't heard, a judge was overheard saying that the statements have no bearing on the outcomes of proceedings at all. He thought his comments couldn't be heard and he's since apologised.
I've never been in court but I'm aware that some of you, in your professional lives, may have been required to give testimony or provide evidence in cases. So I'd be interested in your opinions on this issue whether you're studying criminology or not. Personally, I believe in the power of language to change outcomes. How language is used is one of the central tenets of how I approach my job. Therefore, if people are taking the time to write statements which must be incredibly hard to compose, you'd hope it would be with a tangible outcome.
The academic evidence on VIS is inevitably mixed. Some research suggests that juries are affected by the sex of the person reading the statement, the statement in relation to the severity of the crime and a whole host of other factors. You can find plenty of articles on DISCOVER if you so choose.
If you'd like to have a look at how the BBC is reporting the story then you can find it here.
A couple of hours ago I was hearing and reading about a new controversy concerning victim impact statements (VIS) and decided it was worth a post. If you haven't heard, a judge was overheard saying that the statements have no bearing on the outcomes of proceedings at all. He thought his comments couldn't be heard and he's since apologised.
I've never been in court but I'm aware that some of you, in your professional lives, may have been required to give testimony or provide evidence in cases. So I'd be interested in your opinions on this issue whether you're studying criminology or not. Personally, I believe in the power of language to change outcomes. How language is used is one of the central tenets of how I approach my job. Therefore, if people are taking the time to write statements which must be incredibly hard to compose, you'd hope it would be with a tangible outcome.
The academic evidence on VIS is inevitably mixed. Some research suggests that juries are affected by the sex of the person reading the statement, the statement in relation to the severity of the crime and a whole host of other factors. You can find plenty of articles on DISCOVER if you so choose.
If you'd like to have a look at how the BBC is reporting the story then you can find it here.
Friday, 1 August 2014
Skype
Hello again.
I've just set myself up with a university Skype account, the intention being to use it to support students who are away from campus for whatever reason. I've no idea whether this will be popular or not, but I like trying new things and anything that makes people feel supported and less isolated is clearly a good thing.
What I'll do next is come up with a schedule of the days and times when I'll offer Skype sessions (I'll take advice from your lecturers to ensure it doesn't clash with key lectures) and then publicise it through BREO announcements, lecture drop ins and the blog.
If you've got any immediate thoughts on this idea then email me or leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Do remember that you'll need to sign in before you can comment though.
What I'd ideally like to know is do you use Skype already and would you potentially use it for library appointment purposes?
Hope you're enjoying your Summer,
Alan
I've just set myself up with a university Skype account, the intention being to use it to support students who are away from campus for whatever reason. I've no idea whether this will be popular or not, but I like trying new things and anything that makes people feel supported and less isolated is clearly a good thing.
What I'll do next is come up with a schedule of the days and times when I'll offer Skype sessions (I'll take advice from your lecturers to ensure it doesn't clash with key lectures) and then publicise it through BREO announcements, lecture drop ins and the blog.
If you've got any immediate thoughts on this idea then email me or leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Do remember that you'll need to sign in before you can comment though.
What I'd ideally like to know is do you use Skype already and would you potentially use it for library appointment purposes?
Hope you're enjoying your Summer,
Alan
Tuesday, 29 July 2014
A warm welcome to our Frontliners
It's always an exciting and uncertain time when new courses start up; students getting to know each other as well as new lecturers and new academic demands. This week sees the commencement of Frontline, a new course in Social Work and I'm sure that excitement and anxiety will be present in abundance.
Just try and remember this-there's always a team of people whose job it is to support you and provide you with the best student experience possible. My part in that process is to ensure that you know where to find resources and how to get the best from them. I do loads of other things too but many of them spring from that simple first step of finding the best information available for the task in hand.
I hope you learn loads of new things and occasionally enjoy yourself along the way!
Alan
Just try and remember this-there's always a team of people whose job it is to support you and provide you with the best student experience possible. My part in that process is to ensure that you know where to find resources and how to get the best from them. I do loads of other things too but many of them spring from that simple first step of finding the best information available for the task in hand.
I hope you learn loads of new things and occasionally enjoy yourself along the way!
Alan
Thursday, 22 May 2014
The do's and don'ts of emailing authors for help and advice.
I get a lot of emails. I mean a lot. Loads.
One rule I've always had is that I answer them in the order they arrive, which means no skipping about to open the ones that look most interesting. So even if I see one from a student which is spelt wrong and contains four words in total I still answer it. But here's the thing - if you send me an email from your smart phone you must put something in the subject box. If you don't, my inbox will think it's spam and I'll probably never see it.
The reason I'm telling you this is because the care you put into your email is important. I don't expect perfect essays, but I do expect something which makes grammatical sense. And if you write a good email to published academics the results can be spectacular which is what this post is about.
Let's say you're a second year who's starting to think about a possible dissertation topic. Your initial searches keep throwing up the same author so you read some of her stuff; it's good, it makes sense and you like it. You also notice that as part of the abstract record on DISCOVER you can see the author's email address. Sometimes it'll be a .ac.uk address if the author works at a UK university. So my advice is email her and ask for advice. She's the expert, she's the person you're going to be quoting so see what else she's got. Sometimes (and this happens every year to a handful of final year students) the author may have good recommendations or even unpublished work they're willing to share.
But the email you write to them is important. Make sure you've read enough of the author's work so you know their stuff a little at least. Why? Because academics are susceptible to flattery just like anyone else. So tell her why you like her stuff. It helps, believe me. Take your time with the email, make sure the spelling and grammar are spot on and then see what happens. If you get a response you can even reference the email in your dissertation. Rather brilliantly it's your name that comes first in the reference so you'll be referencing yourself!
If you don't get a response then you've lost nothing apart from the few minutes writing the email. However, I find that most authors do respond. Researchers and academics want to share, they want their research to be read and referenced. Just don't begin your email to them with 'Deer Sit or Adam, can I nave soms free journal farticles' because I think you'll be waiting a while for a response.
You know where I am if you need me.
One rule I've always had is that I answer them in the order they arrive, which means no skipping about to open the ones that look most interesting. So even if I see one from a student which is spelt wrong and contains four words in total I still answer it. But here's the thing - if you send me an email from your smart phone you must put something in the subject box. If you don't, my inbox will think it's spam and I'll probably never see it.
The reason I'm telling you this is because the care you put into your email is important. I don't expect perfect essays, but I do expect something which makes grammatical sense. And if you write a good email to published academics the results can be spectacular which is what this post is about.
Let's say you're a second year who's starting to think about a possible dissertation topic. Your initial searches keep throwing up the same author so you read some of her stuff; it's good, it makes sense and you like it. You also notice that as part of the abstract record on DISCOVER you can see the author's email address. Sometimes it'll be a .ac.uk address if the author works at a UK university. So my advice is email her and ask for advice. She's the expert, she's the person you're going to be quoting so see what else she's got. Sometimes (and this happens every year to a handful of final year students) the author may have good recommendations or even unpublished work they're willing to share.
But the email you write to them is important. Make sure you've read enough of the author's work so you know their stuff a little at least. Why? Because academics are susceptible to flattery just like anyone else. So tell her why you like her stuff. It helps, believe me. Take your time with the email, make sure the spelling and grammar are spot on and then see what happens. If you get a response you can even reference the email in your dissertation. Rather brilliantly it's your name that comes first in the reference so you'll be referencing yourself!
If you don't get a response then you've lost nothing apart from the few minutes writing the email. However, I find that most authors do respond. Researchers and academics want to share, they want their research to be read and referenced. Just don't begin your email to them with 'Deer Sit or Adam, can I nave soms free journal farticles' because I think you'll be waiting a while for a response.
You know where I am if you need me.
Friday, 16 May 2014
A really exciting post about referencing
Have you come across the word 'oxymoron'? It describes a phrase or word that means two different things at the same time (my favourite examples are 'fresh frozen' and 'talent show') and the phrase 'exciting post about referencing' falls right into that category.
I know referencing is horrible and time consuming and fiddly and can even result in grown ups behaving like children. I've heard students say, "I HATE THIS" and "IT'S NOT FAIR" and "WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT?" The library doesn't currently have a naughty step, but we're building a new library and if I get my way...
So. Referencing. Here's a new way to think about it. Try likening referencing to the 3 stages of civilization as imagined by Douglas Adams who wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Be honest, you didn't see that coming, did you?
He jokingly labelled human development as the how, why and where phases. The example he used to illustrate this was eating;
1. How do we eat?
2. Why do we eat?
3. Where shall we have lunch?
Now apply it to referencing.
1. How do I reference? This is the mechanical bit when you learn where the brackets go and where the commas go.
2. Why do I reference? This is the bit where we traumatise you with terrible tales of plagiarism, regret and failure.
3. Where do I put the references in my assignment to get a better mark? It occurs to me that number 3 could also be 'where can I throw this referencing handbook so that I never have to see it again?' We'll stick with the first example though.
You may be a first year coming to terms with phase 1, or you may be coming to the end of your degree having recently nailed phase 3. Whatever your level, learning to reference well is such a crucial skill to have; it improves other areas such as assignment writing and reading skills.
The single best piece of advice I can give you on improving your referencing is this - read some good quality journal articles and take note of how the writer uses references. They're used to highlight evidence, strengthen arguments and organise the themes of the research together.
And don't ever think 'I've only got the referencing left to do'. It takes ages to do it properly so compile it as you're going along. It won't be exciting (much like this post in fact), but it will mean you'll have done it properly and sometimes that's the best outcome available.
I know referencing is horrible and time consuming and fiddly and can even result in grown ups behaving like children. I've heard students say, "I HATE THIS" and "IT'S NOT FAIR" and "WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT?" The library doesn't currently have a naughty step, but we're building a new library and if I get my way...
So. Referencing. Here's a new way to think about it. Try likening referencing to the 3 stages of civilization as imagined by Douglas Adams who wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Be honest, you didn't see that coming, did you?
He jokingly labelled human development as the how, why and where phases. The example he used to illustrate this was eating;
1. How do we eat?
2. Why do we eat?
3. Where shall we have lunch?
Now apply it to referencing.
1. How do I reference? This is the mechanical bit when you learn where the brackets go and where the commas go.
2. Why do I reference? This is the bit where we traumatise you with terrible tales of plagiarism, regret and failure.
3. Where do I put the references in my assignment to get a better mark? It occurs to me that number 3 could also be 'where can I throw this referencing handbook so that I never have to see it again?' We'll stick with the first example though.
You may be a first year coming to terms with phase 1, or you may be coming to the end of your degree having recently nailed phase 3. Whatever your level, learning to reference well is such a crucial skill to have; it improves other areas such as assignment writing and reading skills.
The single best piece of advice I can give you on improving your referencing is this - read some good quality journal articles and take note of how the writer uses references. They're used to highlight evidence, strengthen arguments and organise the themes of the research together.
And don't ever think 'I've only got the referencing left to do'. It takes ages to do it properly so compile it as you're going along. It won't be exciting (much like this post in fact), but it will mean you'll have done it properly and sometimes that's the best outcome available.
Thursday, 8 May 2014
New TV programme on everyday sexism
This should be good.
Kirsty Wark is presenting a new 3 part series on the so-called 'New Battle of the Sexes'. It'll cover issues as diverse as 'jokes' about rape, pornography, pay inequality and sexual explicitness in pop music.
It starts tonight (Thursday) at 9:30 and you can find the details here.
My advice would be to take an hour long break from academia and watch a smart and informative programme on a hugely interesting issue.
Kirsty Wark is presenting a new 3 part series on the so-called 'New Battle of the Sexes'. It'll cover issues as diverse as 'jokes' about rape, pornography, pay inequality and sexual explicitness in pop music.
It starts tonight (Thursday) at 9:30 and you can find the details here.
My advice would be to take an hour long break from academia and watch a smart and informative programme on a hugely interesting issue.
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Don't be afraid of the 'A' word
I've been thinking recently about the perceptions that come with the word 'academic' and how it can be used in both a positive or intimidatory way. I know a bit about this; for a start I have the word academic in my job title, which frankly is a bit of a give away.
But does that make me an academic?
Honestly, I'm not sure. Some days I feel absolutely confident in what I'm doing, saying and sharing. On those days I'd probably say 'yeah' I'm an academic. But equally there are times when I go to meetings with 'proper' academics when I feel about twelve years-old.
When I first started working in academic libraries a typical mistake made by librarians was to try and turn students into proto-librarians. This was clearly a terrible idea and luckily for you this approach is now illegal in most civilized countries. Now the trend is to try to turn students into proto-academics. Although you may not personally be comfortable with this notion, I think it's a much more healthy option.
Because I think you are all proto-academics; you research, you evaluate, you debate and you may well eventually publish. You may not ultimately describe yourself as academic within your chosen full-time career, but along the way you contribute to the total sum of academic human knowledge and what could be smarter and more honourable than that?
Just remember this; everyone starts somewhere. Academics are not born, they get to be academics by reading stuff and writing about it, exactly the same way you do when you write assignments.
Finally, to those of you who are about to hand in dissertations, I trust you luxuriate in the feeling of having wings on your feet. I hope you learned something new about yourself and your topic along the way and I congratulate you on your efforts.
But does that make me an academic?
Honestly, I'm not sure. Some days I feel absolutely confident in what I'm doing, saying and sharing. On those days I'd probably say 'yeah' I'm an academic. But equally there are times when I go to meetings with 'proper' academics when I feel about twelve years-old.
When I first started working in academic libraries a typical mistake made by librarians was to try and turn students into proto-librarians. This was clearly a terrible idea and luckily for you this approach is now illegal in most civilized countries. Now the trend is to try to turn students into proto-academics. Although you may not personally be comfortable with this notion, I think it's a much more healthy option.
Because I think you are all proto-academics; you research, you evaluate, you debate and you may well eventually publish. You may not ultimately describe yourself as academic within your chosen full-time career, but along the way you contribute to the total sum of academic human knowledge and what could be smarter and more honourable than that?
Just remember this; everyone starts somewhere. Academics are not born, they get to be academics by reading stuff and writing about it, exactly the same way you do when you write assignments.
Finally, to those of you who are about to hand in dissertations, I trust you luxuriate in the feeling of having wings on your feet. I hope you learned something new about yourself and your topic along the way and I congratulate you on your efforts.
Monday, 28 April 2014
Sex, crime, madness and Freud.
Sometimes you need a catchy title for a blogpost to get people's attention.
And sometimes a title promises something that the post can't live up to.
On this occasion I can deliver on all the elements mentioned in the title thanks to a new radio series covering the history of psychology. Now before you say anything I know you're not studying psychology. But, as I've said here before, psychological theory does inform some of the topics which you may well study and frankly this radio series is too good not to promote.
The show is called In Search of Ourselves and so far has been quite brilliant. It's basically a potted and highly critical history of psychology and if you feel like listening to something interesting whilst eating your tea you could do far worse than this.
All the shows so far broadcast are available from here.
And sometimes a title promises something that the post can't live up to.
On this occasion I can deliver on all the elements mentioned in the title thanks to a new radio series covering the history of psychology. Now before you say anything I know you're not studying psychology. But, as I've said here before, psychological theory does inform some of the topics which you may well study and frankly this radio series is too good not to promote.
The show is called In Search of Ourselves and so far has been quite brilliant. It's basically a potted and highly critical history of psychology and if you feel like listening to something interesting whilst eating your tea you could do far worse than this.
All the shows so far broadcast are available from here.
Friday, 25 April 2014
New report on caring for an ageing population
Hello.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have today published a major report on the future of elderly social care in the UK. It states that the number of elderly people requiring home support will eventually outstrip the number of family members willing or able to offer assistance.
The factors which have contributed to this looming crisis are all too easy to identify; population dispersal, smaller families, longer lifespans are all elements of a very complex and expensive problem. The report also highlights the increase in older carers who want to look after their own spouses at home. This is something that my own family is currently dealing with. My own dad insisted on looking after my mum at home, even when her dementia was quite well advanced. My mum died two years ago and my dad (now 85) is still living at home. The reason he's able to be there is partly down to the support he receives from myself and my sisters.
Our situation is typical of many thousands of others in the UK which the report sheds a light on.
So the full report is here and the BBC's reporting of the issue is here.
As always, if you want to use it in assignments, you'll need to reference it correctly so ask for help if required.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have today published a major report on the future of elderly social care in the UK. It states that the number of elderly people requiring home support will eventually outstrip the number of family members willing or able to offer assistance.
The factors which have contributed to this looming crisis are all too easy to identify; population dispersal, smaller families, longer lifespans are all elements of a very complex and expensive problem. The report also highlights the increase in older carers who want to look after their own spouses at home. This is something that my own family is currently dealing with. My own dad insisted on looking after my mum at home, even when her dementia was quite well advanced. My mum died two years ago and my dad (now 85) is still living at home. The reason he's able to be there is partly down to the support he receives from myself and my sisters.Our situation is typical of many thousands of others in the UK which the report sheds a light on.
So the full report is here and the BBC's reporting of the issue is here.
As always, if you want to use it in assignments, you'll need to reference it correctly so ask for help if required.
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Why Karl Marx would have loved Oasis
Sometimes we make odd connections between seemingly disparate things.
For reasons I can't quite remember I was recently trying to explain the overall traits of some social theorists to a student. It wasn't going well. Previously, I'd talked to this student about music, which had gone well.
Which is why I eventually started likening various social theorists to rock bands.
So with that in mind, and in honour of High Fidelity, here's my top 5 social theorists as bands.
1. Max Weber = The Beatles. Reason? Both were obsessed with the stories of individuals and religion in modern society. However, Weber was a better drummer than Ringo.
2. Michel Foucault = Radiohead. Reason? Both have a reputation for being difficult, dense and slippery. Furthermore, both make more sense when taken as a whole body of work.
3. Karl Marx = Oasis. Reason? Many liked the early stuff but eventually it all sounded chuggingly similar and hasn't aged well.
4. Emile Durkheim = The Velvet Underground. Reason? Both did something totally new, both wrote about suicide and both inspired a hundred copyists.
5. Anthony Giddens = The Rolling Stones. Reason? Both have been remarkably consistent and both began their careers by taking earlier classics and reinterpreting them.
Anthony Giddens didn't play at Madison Square Garden though despite what Wikipedia may say.
For reasons I can't quite remember I was recently trying to explain the overall traits of some social theorists to a student. It wasn't going well. Previously, I'd talked to this student about music, which had gone well.
Which is why I eventually started likening various social theorists to rock bands.
So with that in mind, and in honour of High Fidelity, here's my top 5 social theorists as bands.
1. Max Weber = The Beatles. Reason? Both were obsessed with the stories of individuals and religion in modern society. However, Weber was a better drummer than Ringo.
2. Michel Foucault = Radiohead. Reason? Both have a reputation for being difficult, dense and slippery. Furthermore, both make more sense when taken as a whole body of work.
3. Karl Marx = Oasis. Reason? Many liked the early stuff but eventually it all sounded chuggingly similar and hasn't aged well.
4. Emile Durkheim = The Velvet Underground. Reason? Both did something totally new, both wrote about suicide and both inspired a hundred copyists.
5. Anthony Giddens = The Rolling Stones. Reason? Both have been remarkably consistent and both began their careers by taking earlier classics and reinterpreting them.
Anthony Giddens didn't play at Madison Square Garden though despite what Wikipedia may say.
Friday, 11 April 2014
A new film about childhood
One of my heroes is a film maker called Mark Cousins, a softly spoken Irishman who wears his extensive knowledge of film very lightly. His new film, about how childhood is depicted in cinema, has just been released. It's called A Story of Children and Film and I would urge, implore, beg or bribe any of you who are on a course which includes the study of children to go and see it.
I'm going to see it today with my elder son and I simply cannot wait.
The video below is the film's trailer.
If you want to see where the film is showing in London then take a look at the TimeOut website here.
I know it's a mad time of year, especially for final year students, but everything I've read and heard about A Story of Children and Film makes me feel like it'd be worth closing the books and unplugging the laptop for a few short hours and seeing it. You can also watch a review by my favourite film critic Mark Kermode, from here.
And if you decide to take me up on my recommendation please do let me know what you thought of it.
I'm going to see it today with my elder son and I simply cannot wait.
The video below is the film's trailer.
If you want to see where the film is showing in London then take a look at the TimeOut website here.
I know it's a mad time of year, especially for final year students, but everything I've read and heard about A Story of Children and Film makes me feel like it'd be worth closing the books and unplugging the laptop for a few short hours and seeing it. You can also watch a review by my favourite film critic Mark Kermode, from here.
And if you decide to take me up on my recommendation please do let me know what you thought of it.
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
You've got a new database to play with
It's called Scopus and it's definitely worth exploring.
I like it because you can do quite in depth analysis on how references are used, which references have been written by researchers/lecturers at University of Bedfordshire and lots more besides.
As a quick introduction I'd suggest you watch the video above. If you're in your final year then you may not be inclined to learn yet another new thing at this stage, but for those of you who haven't yet started dissertations it will be worth your while.
It isn't all full-text (when is it ever?), but that issue can often be overcome by combining Scopus searches with DISCOVER and other document supply options such as SCONUL. Also, it can put results into slightly prettier formats than DISCOVER, so for those of you who are visual learners it may suit your style.
If you'd like a Scopus training session then ask your lecturer to contact me and we'll work something out.
Or if you'd like to get on with it just go here and get started.
As a final point I should probably apologize for not showing this to my newest subscribers earlier today but after a 6 hour session I thought you'd had enough!
I like it because you can do quite in depth analysis on how references are used, which references have been written by researchers/lecturers at University of Bedfordshire and lots more besides.
As a quick introduction I'd suggest you watch the video above. If you're in your final year then you may not be inclined to learn yet another new thing at this stage, but for those of you who haven't yet started dissertations it will be worth your while.
It isn't all full-text (when is it ever?), but that issue can often be overcome by combining Scopus searches with DISCOVER and other document supply options such as SCONUL. Also, it can put results into slightly prettier formats than DISCOVER, so for those of you who are visual learners it may suit your style.
If you'd like a Scopus training session then ask your lecturer to contact me and we'll work something out.
Or if you'd like to get on with it just go here and get started.
As a final point I should probably apologize for not showing this to my newest subscribers earlier today
Monday, 7 April 2014
New programme on the sociologist Weber
Any long term reader of this blog will know that I consider Radio 4 to be one of the reasons to have hope for the human race. Pretty much every week I hear something there that will entertain, inform, provoke and infuriate.
Last week was no different as I heard a show discussing the work of Max Weber, a sociologist whose books, first published over 100 years ago, are to be found in our library and who many of you will have hopefully heard being talked about in class. He's still considered one of the theorists who you really should know about as a mainstay of sociological thought.
The show in question is called In Our Time, presented by Melvyn Bragg and broadcast on a Thursday. I tend to listen to the podcast, allowing me the flexibility to listen any time. One of the things I love about the show is that you always get a sense of the life of the theorists and not just their works (I would say that the two elements are often equally crucial in understanding someone's work), which broadens the person out somewhat.
You can find the Weber episode here and if you'd like a broader look at older episodes then go here for an explore - it's an amazing archive of shows.
You can of course reference podcasts so contact me if you need help with that bit.
Happy listening!
Last week was no different as I heard a show discussing the work of Max Weber, a sociologist whose books, first published over 100 years ago, are to be found in our library and who many of you will have hopefully heard being talked about in class. He's still considered one of the theorists who you really should know about as a mainstay of sociological thought.The show in question is called In Our Time, presented by Melvyn Bragg and broadcast on a Thursday. I tend to listen to the podcast, allowing me the flexibility to listen any time. One of the things I love about the show is that you always get a sense of the life of the theorists and not just their works (I would say that the two elements are often equally crucial in understanding someone's work), which broadens the person out somewhat.
You can find the Weber episode here and if you'd like a broader look at older episodes then go here for an explore - it's an amazing archive of shows.
You can of course reference podcasts so contact me if you need help with that bit.
Happy listening!
Friday, 4 April 2014
15,000 kids and counting
A three part TV series on child protection and adoption began this week on Channel 4.
I watched the first episode last night and as tough and upsetting as it was, I would recommend it. I don't always promote these things beforehand because they can sometimes be rather 'all surface no feeling' ( I know Benefits Street upset a few of you) but I thought this got the balance about right between personality and process.
That said, I am acutely aware that I'm writing this for people who've worked in this very sector so if any of you think it was an unfair depiction of the job then I'd love to hear from you.
If you've used the Channel 4 on demand (4OD) website before then you'll know how this works, but if you haven't you'll need to register once you reach the log in page. All things being equal, just follow this link and you should be able to see the episode from last night.
If you need help creating your 4OD account then I'll guide you through it.
I watched the first episode last night and as tough and upsetting as it was, I would recommend it. I don't always promote these things beforehand because they can sometimes be rather 'all surface no feeling' ( I know Benefits Street upset a few of you) but I thought this got the balance about right between personality and process.
That said, I am acutely aware that I'm writing this for people who've worked in this very sector so if any of you think it was an unfair depiction of the job then I'd love to hear from you.
If you've used the Channel 4 on demand (4OD) website before then you'll know how this works, but if you haven't you'll need to register once you reach the log in page. All things being equal, just follow this link and you should be able to see the episode from last night.
If you need help creating your 4OD account then I'll guide you through it.
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
The long tail
The inspiration to share things with you can sometimes come from pretty unlikely places. This definitely comes under that category. I was listening to a programme recently about how powerful the i-tunes store is and the statistics that were being chucked around like cheap confetti made my head spin.
You ready? OK. There's 26,000,000 tracks on i-tunes. What percentage of those tracks do you think have been bought/downloaded 100 times or more? I'll tell you - just 6%. That means over 24,440,000 tracks have been bought less than 100 times. I found that 6% figure surprisingly low.
Now it gets weird.
Although I still love buying music that comes in a physical form (CD's and vinyl) I also love Spotify.
Guess how many of Spotify's 20,000,000 tracks have never been played?
It's 4,000,000.
That means 20% of all tracks on Spotify have NEVER been played. Not even by the singer's mum. Amazing.
Why am I telling you all this? Because the situation with e-music is not dissimilar to what happens with our e-books and e-journals. In online publishing this situation is known as 'the long tail'. Basically you get a few things which are used a lot (the head bit) and then a long, long tapering down to the things that are hardly used at all (the tail bit).
Here's the hopefully interesting bit; if you're an unknown author writing an e-book you need readers to be able to find it among the potentially thousands of other books. How you do that is tricky because if you write a book on 'Social Policy' and call it 'Social Policy' it's probably going to get buried. If, on the other hand, you go with a wacky title or (even riskier) a pun in the title then the student may never think of trying those words without prior knowledge.
So once again, it ultimately comes down to the words and how imaginative and specific you need to be. Those of you who are experienced in using Dawsonera (our e-books database) will know how beneficial and crucial these skills can be. If you're new to finding e-resources then don't be afraid to wander off the path and try some weirder keywords. After all, the interesting stuff is quite often found pushing at the edges of a subject. What's more, lecturers usually enjoy coming across a new reference for the first time in a similar way that many of us love hearing a new band on Spotify.
You ready? OK. There's 26,000,000 tracks on i-tunes. What percentage of those tracks do you think have been bought/downloaded 100 times or more? I'll tell you - just 6%. That means over 24,440,000 tracks have been bought less than 100 times. I found that 6% figure surprisingly low.
Now it gets weird.
Although I still love buying music that comes in a physical form (CD's and vinyl) I also love Spotify.Guess how many of Spotify's 20,000,000 tracks have never been played?
It's 4,000,000.
That means 20% of all tracks on Spotify have NEVER been played. Not even by the singer's mum. Amazing.
Why am I telling you all this? Because the situation with e-music is not dissimilar to what happens with our e-books and e-journals. In online publishing this situation is known as 'the long tail'. Basically you get a few things which are used a lot (the head bit) and then a long, long tapering down to the things that are hardly used at all (the tail bit).
Here's the hopefully interesting bit; if you're an unknown author writing an e-book you need readers to be able to find it among the potentially thousands of other books. How you do that is tricky because if you write a book on 'Social Policy' and call it 'Social Policy' it's probably going to get buried. If, on the other hand, you go with a wacky title or (even riskier) a pun in the title then the student may never think of trying those words without prior knowledge.
So once again, it ultimately comes down to the words and how imaginative and specific you need to be. Those of you who are experienced in using Dawsonera (our e-books database) will know how beneficial and crucial these skills can be. If you're new to finding e-resources then don't be afraid to wander off the path and try some weirder keywords. After all, the interesting stuff is quite often found pushing at the edges of a subject. What's more, lecturers usually enjoy coming across a new reference for the first time in a similar way that many of us love hearing a new band on Spotify.
Monday, 31 March 2014
Do you have a favourite lecturer?
If so, have you ever wondered why it's that particular person who does it for you?
A couple of years ago whilst doing a qualification I had to write a reflective assignment on who my educational 'hero' was. I picked a psychology lecturer I had had during my undergraduate degree called Bianca Raabe. She stomped into a lecture theatre at the beginning of my second year, waving a book on social constructionism and proceeded to deliver a 50 minute diatribe on why mainstream psychology was flawed (at best), corrupt (at worst) or incompetent (at somewhere in the middle).
I was in love within 27 minutes.
What my reflective assignment made me do was reconsider whether it was Bianca's delivery which I liked (challenging, combative, committed) or the lecture topic itself (confusing, new, divisive).
Or is it the case that sometimes the topic chooses the lecturer? By which I mean is there such a thing as a typical social work lecturer, a typical social psychology lecturer or a typical academic librarian?
You tell me.
What I do know is that my favourite student groups are typically, questioning, enthusiastic, honest, truculent and entertaining.
So if you ever find yourself mid-lecture thinking 'I really like this woman telling me stuff' ask yourself if it's really the singer you like, or the song they're singing?
A couple of years ago whilst doing a qualification I had to write a reflective assignment on who my educational 'hero' was. I picked a psychology lecturer I had had during my undergraduate degree called Bianca Raabe. She stomped into a lecture theatre at the beginning of my second year, waving a book on social constructionism and proceeded to deliver a 50 minute diatribe on why mainstream psychology was flawed (at best), corrupt (at worst) or incompetent (at somewhere in the middle).
I was in love within 27 minutes.
What my reflective assignment made me do was reconsider whether it was Bianca's delivery which I liked (challenging, combative, committed) or the lecture topic itself (confusing, new, divisive).
Or is it the case that sometimes the topic chooses the lecturer? By which I mean is there such a thing as a typical social work lecturer, a typical social psychology lecturer or a typical academic librarian?You tell me.
What I do know is that my favourite student groups are typically, questioning, enthusiastic, honest, truculent and entertaining.
So if you ever find yourself mid-lecture thinking 'I really like this woman telling me stuff' ask yourself if it's really the singer you like, or the song they're singing?
Saturday, 29 March 2014
Congratulations to the winners of the mixed up words competition
Last week I wrote a thing demonstrating how people could still read mixed up text and promised a prize for the first student to return the message to me unscrambled.
Well quite a few of you did it so I extended it to the first six students who responded. The students who are going to receive posh chocolate from this shop in Leighton buzzard in the flavour of their choice are as follows:
Annie Gova
Harriette Lea
Sam Bradley
Sasha Austin-Seade
Sajeda Begum
Lorna Hill
Well done to all.
The winners now need to tell me which flavour of bar they'd like and I'll do the rest. Follow the link above to see the choices.
And a special well done to those who spotted my (ahem) deliberate mistake concerning the word 'sentences'. With that level of scrutiny you'll go far!
Well quite a few of you did it so I extended it to the first six students who responded. The students who are going to receive posh chocolate from this shop in Leighton buzzard in the flavour of their choice are as follows:
Annie Gova
Harriette Lea
Sam Bradley
Sasha Austin-Seade
Sajeda Begum
Lorna Hill
Well done to all.
The winners now need to tell me which flavour of bar they'd like and I'll do the rest. Follow the link above to see the choices.
And a special well done to those who spotted my (ahem) deliberate mistake concerning the word 'sentences'. With that level of scrutiny you'll go far!
Thursday, 27 March 2014
New report covering police response to domestic abuse allegations
There seems to have been a rash of reports in the last 12 months covering different aspects of domestic violence.
The latest, published today, is an in depth review of how a selection of police forces have responded to victims. It makes uncomfortable reading for police and victims alike. Whilst the report does highlight pockets of good practice, there was scathing criticism for the vast majority of constabularies.
I'd always encourage you to read original sources over second hand accounts wherever possible (especially if you're going to reference the report obviously) and with that in mind the whole thing can be found here. That said, if you'd prefer a shorter account of what the report says, the BBC has a good mix of video, audio and text here covering the issue.
Let me know if you'd like any help with the strategic reading or referencing of such a document.
The latest, published today, is an in depth review of how a selection of police forces have responded to victims. It makes uncomfortable reading for police and victims alike. Whilst the report does highlight pockets of good practice, there was scathing criticism for the vast majority of constabularies.
I'd always encourage you to read original sources over second hand accounts wherever possible (especially if you're going to reference the report obviously) and with that in mind the whole thing can be found here. That said, if you'd prefer a shorter account of what the report says, the BBC has a good mix of video, audio and text here covering the issue.
Let me know if you'd like any help with the strategic reading or referencing of such a document.
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Heer's a nveol way to senpd fvie mitneus
Waht cnstaonly aezams me is the peowr of the hmaun mnid to srot intfmoairon itno ubndstanedrale cnhkus. We get beodbamrd wtih ifno all the tmie and yet soohmew we cpoe.
So wehn I raed aoubt how msot peploe cluod mkae sesne of stnnsees, eevn if the wrods are qitue msesed up, I thgohut I'd tset it out.
And to mkae it ientsreintg I'm ofrfineg an ebidle pizre to the fsrit stdnuet who sedns tihs mgesase bcak to me in the rhigt odrer.
So wehn I raed aoubt how msot peploe cluod mkae sesne of stnnsees, eevn if the wrods are qitue msesed up, I thgohut I'd tset it out.
And to mkae it ientsreintg I'm ofrfineg an ebidle pizre to the fsrit stdnuet who sedns tihs mgesase bcak to me in the rhigt odrer.
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
New report published on violence towards women
I heard a new report being discussed this morning and I was sort of listening with one ear until I suddenly heard mention of the sample size. Then I started giving it my full attention. The report, which made claims for the amount of violence perpetrated against women was pretty shocking, but as remarkable was that 42, 000 women had been interviewed for the survey. That is a huge sample. I often see published reports where 20 individuals have been interviewed and that isn't unremarkable.
I've suggested to students in the past that sample size is a rough and ready measure of how robust a report's findings might be. Clearly, there are lots of ways that research can be not so good, but when I see exaggerated claims being made for very small scale samples my bad research detector starts going off.
The current research (which looks extremely robust) published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) reports that roughly half of women in the UK have been victims of physical or sexual abuse. A more detailed breakdown of what the report offers can be found here.
For further details, have a look how the Independent newspaper reported the research from here.
I've suggested to students in the past that sample size is a rough and ready measure of how robust a report's findings might be. Clearly, there are lots of ways that research can be not so good, but when I see exaggerated claims being made for very small scale samples my bad research detector starts going off.
The current research (which looks extremely robust) published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) reports that roughly half of women in the UK have been victims of physical or sexual abuse. A more detailed breakdown of what the report offers can be found here.
For further details, have a look how the Independent newspaper reported the research from here.
Monday, 3 March 2014
Peer to peer learning
I've always seen it as a sign of self confidence when students say 'I don't know how to do that', whatever the 'that' might be. It takes courage to admit what you lack. The temptation is to bluff it but that isn't really a long term solution. One way forward is through peer to peer learning which is purely a fancy way of saying let's give students the opportunity to learn from each other.
Many of you do this already but I'm keen to promote it more. One thing I'm trying to increase are the number of teaching sessions which involve students from multiple courses. So what you might find is when you ask me for a one to one teaching session it'll become a one to two instead and include someone else who you may not know. So far these have been really interesting sessions as students have sometimes advised each other on possible solutions to problems without me needing to intervene. And I learn something new in the process.
The best teaching sessions always involve an exchange of ideas, so if you end up taking part in one of these small groups I hope it benefits you.
Many of you do this already but I'm keen to promote it more. One thing I'm trying to increase are the number of teaching sessions which involve students from multiple courses. So what you might find is when you ask me for a one to one teaching session it'll become a one to two instead and include someone else who you may not know. So far these have been really interesting sessions as students have sometimes advised each other on possible solutions to problems without me needing to intervene. And I learn something new in the process.
The best teaching sessions always involve an exchange of ideas, so if you end up taking part in one of these small groups I hope it benefits you.
Thursday, 27 February 2014
I think we should start seeing other people
First thing to make clear- it's not you, it's me.
I just think it's all been getting a bit too 'cosy' lately and you know I need my space sometimes. I told you this when we started seeing each other.
So here's my suggestion. Go and see what other blogs are out there. Experiment. Find out what you're interested in, whether it be blogs by social workers, criminologists, politicians or pretty much any other professional role you can think of. Just remember that bloggers are people too and their opinions will be their own. The easiest way to search for blogs is via the Google Blog search option which you can find here.
Just remember I'm not kicking you out. Think of it more as a trial separation. Don't look at me like that though or I'll lose my nerve and beg you to stay and then you'll end up resenting me and...well you know how it goes.
And if you'd like me to recommend some specific bloggers for your subject area email me or just ask if you see me around the library.
Now if you don't mind I think I've got something in my eye...
I just think it's all been getting a bit too 'cosy' lately and you know I need my space sometimes. I told you this when we started seeing each other.
So here's my suggestion. Go and see what other blogs are out there. Experiment. Find out what you're interested in, whether it be blogs by social workers, criminologists, politicians or pretty much any other professional role you can think of. Just remember that bloggers are people too and their opinions will be their own. The easiest way to search for blogs is via the Google Blog search option which you can find here.
Just remember I'm not kicking you out. Think of it more as a trial separation. Don't look at me like that though or I'll lose my nerve and beg you to stay and then you'll end up resenting me and...well you know how it goes.
And if you'd like me to recommend some specific bloggers for your subject area email me or just ask if you see me around the library.
Now if you don't mind I think I've got something in my eye...
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Journal Articles vs Books: the verdict
Students ask me sometimes if journals are better than books which is rather like asking if rivers are better than mountains; my answer is both have their place, they complement each other and if you're lucky you can experience both simultaneously.
How far you're currently into your course will partly dictate how familiar you are with reading and using journal articles. If you're relatively new to study then you'll probably be using mostly books and if you're currently writing a dissertation then journals should be your main source of reading.
But that somewhat oversimplifies the situation. The reason for this is straightforward-books and journals are both useful throughout your course and need to be used as and when they're required.
Here's an example; if you're a third year currently reading journal articles about a sociological issue related to feminism you need to understand feminist theory. A journal article won't explain that to you in any depth because it'll probably assume you already know enough. So sometimes going back to the books for the underlying theories is absolutely the right thing to do. Similarly, if you're a first year who's looking at journal articles which keep referring to theorists who you've never heard of, then you can't possibly understand what you're reading. In which case find a book chapter on that theorist to help with the background.
So ultimately it comes down to 'do I understand what I'm reading and is it useful for the task in hand?'
I'm currently writing a new Prezi on the benefits of reading so hopefully I'll get the chance to show it to you before too long.
How far you're currently into your course will partly dictate how familiar you are with reading and using journal articles. If you're relatively new to study then you'll probably be using mostly books and if you're currently writing a dissertation then journals should be your main source of reading.
But that somewhat oversimplifies the situation. The reason for this is straightforward-books and journals are both useful throughout your course and need to be used as and when they're required.
Here's an example; if you're a third year currently reading journal articles about a sociological issue related to feminism you need to understand feminist theory. A journal article won't explain that to you in any depth because it'll probably assume you already know enough. So sometimes going back to the books for the underlying theories is absolutely the right thing to do. Similarly, if you're a first year who's looking at journal articles which keep referring to theorists who you've never heard of, then you can't possibly understand what you're reading. In which case find a book chapter on that theorist to help with the background.
So ultimately it comes down to 'do I understand what I'm reading and is it useful for the task in hand?'
I'm currently writing a new Prezi on the benefits of reading so hopefully I'll get the chance to show it to you before too long.
Friday, 7 February 2014
Female Genital Mutilation
Yesterday was an international day of zero tolerance towards Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
I was listening to Woman's Hour and they had an interesting piece on FGM which you can find here. If you want to go straight to it then fast forward 14 minutes in.
The Guardian has also put together a very good page of resources, interviews and information on FGM which is well worth a look. You can find it here.
If you're searching for journal articles on DISCOVER related to this issue remember to try the abbreviated and full three word phrase.
Any other help needed, then just ask.
I was listening to Woman's Hour and they had an interesting piece on FGM which you can find here. If you want to go straight to it then fast forward 14 minutes in.
The Guardian has also put together a very good page of resources, interviews and information on FGM which is well worth a look. You can find it here.
If you're searching for journal articles on DISCOVER related to this issue remember to try the abbreviated and full three word phrase.
Any other help needed, then just ask.
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Critical thinking
Hello.
You may have been 'lucky' enough to see me presenting my talk on critical thinking in the last few days.
I think I've finally got the link to work so you can go through the presentation yourself.
Here it is:
Prezi on critical thinking
There's also a fair few books in the library on the subject.
Try the link below for one of the better ones:
A beginner's guide to critical thinking by Aveyard
I'd be happy to discuss any of the issues associated with thinking critically (even the Latin...), so do contact me if you'd like to know more.
You may have been 'lucky' enough to see me presenting my talk on critical thinking in the last few days.
I think I've finally got the link to work so you can go through the presentation yourself.
Here it is:
Prezi on critical thinking
There's also a fair few books in the library on the subject.
Try the link below for one of the better ones:
A beginner's guide to critical thinking by Aveyard
I'd be happy to discuss any of the issues associated with thinking critically (even the Latin...), so do contact me if you'd like to know more.
Monday, 13 January 2014
First online workshop coming up on Wednesday.
Hello.
As well as the monthly face-to-face workshops I'm also offering online workshops every few weeks.
The next of these takes place on Wednesday between 2pm and 3pm.
Here's how it'll work; I'll be sat at my computer waiting for you to ask me questions on anything at that time via the blog.
Your questions need to be written into the comments box on the blog post itself on Bedtimes and Deadlines. I will not be answering questions from normal emails during this online workshop - only via the blog itself.
I will write the first comment on the posting so you can see where to carry on from.
If you're a subscriber and you're not used to visiting the blog directly then the link you'll need to follow is this one: http://bedtimesanddeadlines.blogspot.co.uk/
It may all work fine or it may be chaos, but I want to give these things a go and we'll see what happens.
As well as the monthly face-to-face workshops I'm also offering online workshops every few weeks.
The next of these takes place on Wednesday between 2pm and 3pm.
Here's how it'll work; I'll be sat at my computer waiting for you to ask me questions on anything at that time via the blog.
Your questions need to be written into the comments box on the blog post itself on Bedtimes and Deadlines. I will not be answering questions from normal emails during this online workshop - only via the blog itself.
I will write the first comment on the posting so you can see where to carry on from.
If you're a subscriber and you're not used to visiting the blog directly then the link you'll need to follow is this one: http://bedtimesanddeadlines.blogspot.co.uk/
It may all work fine or it may be chaos, but I want to give these things a go and we'll see what happens.
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