Campaign URL Copy

Twitter 0 tweets

Subscribe

Past Issues

RSS

Translate

English

العربية

Afrikaans

беларуская мова

български

català

中文（简体）

中文（繁體）

Hrvatski

Česky

Dansk

eesti keel

Nederlands

Suomi

Français

Deutsch

Ελληνική

हिन्दी

Magyar

Gaeilge

Indonesia

íslenska

Italiano

日本語

ភាសាខ្មែរ

한국어

македонски јазик

بهاس ملايو

Malti

Norsk

Polski

Português

Português - Portugal

Română

Русский

Español

Kiswahili

Svenska

עברית

Lietuvių

latviešu

slovenčina

slovenščina

српски

தமிழ்

ภาษาไทย

Türkçe

Filipino

украї́нська

Tiếng Việt

Announcements, events, and news from Spark

View this email in your browser

Website

Email

Twitter

LinkedIn

November 21st 2024

Bi-weekly news from Spark: a centre for social research innovation at McMaster University

Centre News

A Commentary from Spark's Academic Director, Michelle Dion on Research Visibility and Impact

Universities, as engines of innovation, emphasize the importance of research impact. This emphasis is visible in its public promotion of the novel insights generated by its students and faculty as well as the criteria used to evaluate research excellence among faculty.

The broader preoccupation with impact is evident in the multiple international university ranking exercises (e.g., QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Shanghai’s Academic Ranking of World Universities) as well as the development of databases and metrics that try to measure scholarly or non-scholarly citations (e.g., Clarivate’s Social Science Citation Index, Digital Science’s Altmetrics).

But what can individual researchers, graduate students or faculty members, do to influence their impact?

This is where it may be useful to distinguish between visibility and impact. Impact depends on the decisions of others: whether they download, read, or cite one’s research. Of course, researchers can increase the possibility that their work will have impact, or be cited by other scholars, community members, or policymakers. But, individual researchers have less direct control or influence over whether others will engage with their work.

For this reason, it may be helpful to think instead about research visibility. Individual researchers absolutely can be pro-active in making sure their research is visible, which is arguably an initial step toward impact.

We’re intentionally setting aside questions of choosing what to study, how to study it, and where and how to disseminate your work, which are all too field specific for general advice beyond “do good work, and present or publish it where it will be the most visible to the most relevant audience.”

Some suggestions for how researchers can improve the visibility of their research

Publish your research open access. A large body of research suggests that publishing in a high-visibility journal with an open-access license increases impact by making the work available to a wider audience. In the last few years, publishers have been aggressively moving toward a new business model in which they sign “transformative agreements” with universities that bundle a subscription to journal content with an agreement that researchers from that university can also publish open access in the publisher’s titles. Some big publishers of social science research, like Sage, Wiley, and Cambridge, have such agreements in place with a consortium of Canadian university libraries, including the McMaster library. The library has a webpage and an online tool that will enable you to search for journals to see whether there is a transformative agreement in place for McMaster.  In addition, remember that Tri-Council policy encourages open access publishing, and article processing charges are an allowable expense. The current policy is under review and is likely to lead to a mandate that all Tri-Council funded research be published open access in the future.

Read your publishing agreement, then freely disseminate a version that the agreement allows. If you’ve published in a journal that does not have a transformative agreement or you cannot afford the article processing charges to make your work open access, that doesn’t necessarily mean you cannot share your work freely. You have to read the fine print of your publishing agreement, but many of these agreements allow authors to post on their personal website or in an institutional repository (like MacSphere) an earlier version of the paper (e.g., the version initially submitted to the journal or the final version that was accepted before it is typeset by the publisher). Most agreements also allow authors to use their papers in their teaching or to send a copy to a colleague. If you need advice or help understanding your publishing agreement, experts in the Library at scom#mcmaster.ca can help you wade through the legalese in these documents!

Register your ORCiD, and use it for all your publications. ORCiD, or Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a way to help researchers claim their research and improve the accuracy of various research databases that aggregate research to make it discoverable and visible. This is particularly useful if you have a common name, or there is another researcher that shares your chosen and family name. As a bonus, some publishers allow you to use your ORCiD to login to their submission platforms, which will eliminate one more email and password combination to maintain.

Make sure your McMaster Expert site is accurate. McMaster’s Expert site, which also populates faculty profiles on Faculty websites, uses ORCiD to help “find” faculty publications so they can be automatically added to faculty profiles. But, researchers can also manually add new publications to their profile, and it’s good to get in a habit of reviewing and updating your profile regularly (e.g., at the start of an academic year or when that pesky annual activity report is due). Some researchers also maintain personal websites or have public Google Scholar profiles. Adding new publications to and keeping these up to date can also increase visibility.

Write an op-ed for a broader audience. Another way to increase the visibility of your research is to write about it for a public audience. McMaster’s Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs has a useful guide about writing an op-ed, and they may be able to give you specific advice about how to frame or pitch your idea. A popular option is to publish your piece on The Conversation, a site that disseminates short pieces by academics, some of which are picked up by traditional news media as op-eds. As a reflection of its commitment to public engagement, McMaster is a founding member of The Conversation.

Share your research on social media. Increasingly, publishers and journals are using social media platforms to promote the research they publish. In addition, many journalists use social media to learn about new research or find experts to interview for their news stories. And, research suggests that social media reach is correlated with more traditional measures of impact, like future scholarly citations. Unfortunately, recent shifts in the social media landscape can make it more challenging to know which platform is best, and it may also vary depending on the intended audience. For example, X (formerly Twitter) may still be an important community for some, while LinkedIn may be particularly important for reaching some audiences in industry.

These are just some suggestions about how to increase the visibility of your work. There are undoubtedly countless others. The key point is that researchers can take concrete steps to improve the visibility of their work, which is a first step toward impact.

Upcoming Events

“Human Factors in Data Security”

When discussing sensitive data research, our primary concerns are around integrity and confidentiality. This talk will discuss the challenges in maximizing social benefit that is inherent in high security data enclaves. We will discuss reproducibility, disclosure risks, and collaboration and how SEAL’s existing and new services address these issues.

Lily Wang is the lab manager at SEAL – Spark’s secure computing environment. They have a background in Physics and Computer Science and is passionate about data security, fair use and Research Data Management.

Below is a preview for Lily Wang's upcoming Spark Talk on November 29th, 2024.

Resources for Researchers

Research Conversations

We provide up to 4 hours of free support each year to any researcher (students, staff, faculty or community) on every social research topic imaginable.  If we can't help you, we'll help you find someone who can.

Request a research conversation here.

Qualtrics Licenses

If you are an Faculty of Social Sciences researcher who would like to request access to Qualtrics survey software, please contact us here.

Looking to pool software licences?

Now you can! Fill out this form and we will reach out if we can match you with others looking to pool licences.

Methods Demonstrations

Faculty in Social Sciences may request demonstrations, short trainings, or code-along sessions from Spark staff for Research Methods or Professional Skills courses.  We're happy to discuss any needs and have already developed trainings for Literature Review, Interviewing, Survey Development, Focus Groups, Data Visualization.  Email us at [email-masked] to discuss if there's a fit for your course.

CoLab

Research on research innovation (yes, it's very meta) points to a simple truth.  Being in the same physical space and able to informally interact significantly increases cross-disciplinary collaboration and discovery.  The Spark CoLab aims to be such a space.  It is a free, open co-working space for graduate students, research staff and faculty.  You can learn more on our website or stop by from 9 am - Noon or 1 pm - 4pm on Tuesday or Thursday for a tour and orientation.

SEAL

Some data is critical to addressing major research questions, but is also profoundly sensitive and must be secured.  SEAL is a high security data repository that allows approved researchers worldwide to access highly sensitive data securely.  Data owners can use it to engage researchers in using their datasets and researchers can access data that otherwise would not be available to them.

Learn more about SEAL at: https://seal.mcmaster.ca/

Brighter Spark Applied Research

Spark offers custom research and evaluation, as well as highly skilled assistance in implementing virtually any social research method. Our cost-recovery services include methods and software training, custom research, state-of-the-art facilities, and taking on elements of your project to support its completion.

For a full list of Brighter Spark Applied Research's services, visit here.

Spark Collaborations

Help us profile your research, publications, job ads, opportunities, and upcoming events by sending them to: [email-masked] to be showcased in our following newsletter.

School of Labour Studies 24/25 Speaker Series:

Essential Work, Disposable Workers

Date: Thursday, November 28th at 3pm

Location: Great Hall, Alumni Memorial Hall

Registration: Register here.

Right-wing movements are capitalizing on people’s fears of a loss of dignity and livelihoods that has resulted from three decades of neoliberalism protecting the interests of capital in the advanced capitalist economies that rely on migration. In Canada, governments are pursuing a strategy of scapegoating migrant workers for our housing crisis and the cost of living crisis.

Migrant justice activist and scholar Mostafa Henaway will explore the massive expansion of precarious work under neoliberalism, and how migrant workers are challenging the conditions of their hyper-exploitation through struggles for worker rights and justice. The talk will also explore how the struggles of migrant workers are a central part of any genuine renewal of a labour movement that organizes and fights for the entire working class.

SSHRC Insight Development Grants (IDG) Webinars

SSHRC will be holding two webinars on the Insight Development Grants (IDG) 2025 competition. The webinars will provide an overview of the funding opportunity. They will outline what is new this year and will include a question period. Advance registration is not required. The webinars will be held via MS Teams on the following dates:

Date: November 27, 2024

French Webinar Time: 10am-Noon IDG Webinar French

English Webinar Time: 1pm-3pm IDG Webinar English

SSHRC Application Process

If you intend to apply, please contact the Research Office for Administration, Development and Support (ROADS), Amanda Graveline, Senior Advisor, Development, at [email-masked]  as soon as possible.

The initial draft of the application is due to ROADS by 9 am on January 13, 2025.

The final draft, and a completed and signed Application Approval Form, are due to ROADS by 9 am January 27, 2025. Please note, applications received after this date may not receive a full review.

Tackling Childhood Obesity: Exploring Risk Assessment Approaches and Interventions

Society & Impact Luncheon

Date: Friday, November 22 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Location: Great Hall, Alumni Memorial Hall

Registration: Register here.

Description:

Dr. Sukhvinder Obhi, Associate Vice-President, Research (Society & Impact), invites you to a panel discussion focused on the global public health concern of childhood obesity and health care. In this discussion, our speakers will explore why childhood obesity is a societal challenge, as well as approaches for risk assessment and possible interventions on the individual and structural levels.

12:00 p.m. Welcome Remarks

12:05 p.m. Presentation and Q&A

1:00 p.m. Lunch

Statistics Canada Workshops

Statistics Canada is offering valuable workshops designed to enhance your understanding of statistical methods and economic frameworks. These workshops are ideal for beginners or those seeking a refresher.

Webinar: Introduction to Market Research

Description:

This webinar will provide you with an overview of different Statistics Canada data sets you can access when conducting your market research. It will help you find information on the following 3 topics: getting to know your target market (demographic and household spending data, etc.), understanding your industry (industry classification, financial indicators, etc.) and finding trade data (import/export data, retail/wholesale trade, e-commerce, etc.).

Intended Target Audience:

This is an introductory webinar; it may be too basic for advanced data users.

Language, Dates, Times, and Registration Links

Cost: FREE

English: December 2, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time

Self-Register: English Webinar on December 2, 2024

Workshop: Introduction to Basic Statistics

This 8-hour workshop, spread over two days, covers essential statistical measures and hypothesis testing methods, making it perfect for those new to statistics or in need of a refresher. Participants will learn about Descriptive and Inferential statistics, measures such as margin of error, and Z-tests and Chi-Square methods.

Cost: $325 per learner

Target Audience: Ideal for beginners; may be too basic for advanced users.

Registration: Available in both English and French from October to November. Register Here

Workshop: Statistics Canada's Supply-Use Framework

This workshop provides an overview of Statistics Canada's Supply and Use Tables, including GDP calculations and economic impact models. It's geared towards those interested in understanding macroeconomic concepts and how they are applied.

Cost: $550 per learner

Target Audience: Ideal for those with a basic understanding of macroeconomics; may be too basic for advanced users.

Registration: Available in both English and French in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal from September to November. Register Here

Kudos

Let's celebrate the achievements of colleagues, friends, and those doing important social research with the potential to spark a brighter world. We welcome recommendations for kudos features (including for yourself)! Please send any features you would like us to mention by emailing us at: [email-masked].

Kudos to McMasters for being ranked fourth in Canada in Maclean’s annual university rankings of doctoral universities for the seventh consecutive year. “This national recognition of the support we offer our students affirms McMaster’s commitment to developing talent for the future of Canada,” said McMaster President David Farrar. Read more about this here.

Congratulations to McMaster researcher and Indigenous scholar Chelsea Gabel for her new appointment as the new Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH). Gabel’s four-year appointment comes after a careful and consultative approach with national Indigenous bodies, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health experts and an Advisory Circle, says Tammy Clifford, CIHR’s acting president. Read more about this here.

Congratulations to Andrea Lawlor, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Master of Public Policy in Digital Society, for presenting at the Policy Roundtable for the Canadian Commission on Foreign Interference. In her presentation she highlighted the importance of transparency and closing loopholes in the current legislative infrastructure. Read more about it here.

Contact Us

Website

Email

Subscribe

Twitter

Spark: a centre for social research innovation

Website: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-a-centre-for-social-research-innovation/about/

Email: [email-masked]

Subscribe to Spark Connections: https://spark.mcmaster.ca/contact

This email was sent to <<Email Address>>

why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Spark: a centre for social research innovation, McMaster University · 1280 Main St W · Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 · Canada