Academic Writing – Standing Out Online while Professional
Large numbers of academics and scientists are now online sharing their research on university and research institute web pages, via social and professional media platforms and in some cases on their own blogs and web sites. An online identity is in today’s knowledge network a natural extension of the presence a career academic or scientist creates in his or her scholarly community through teaching, conference presentations and published research. Accordingly, the online identity of a scholar should establish the same fine balance between standing out as unique and remaining professional that is achieved in these more traditional forms of intellectual self-presentation.

In order to garner attention and win readers online, where choices and competition are endless, a fresh perspective presenting original research and unique ideas is most effective. These are, of course, the very qualities of the senior researcher that have traditionally established academics and scientists as accomplished experts and innovators within their scholarly communities. Online these qualities will attract a broader range of readers, so anticipating an audience without specialist knowledge as well as one with that knowledge is essential. Appealing to this wider readership sometimes means reporting research in ways that are as simple and straightforward as possible. A common corollary of streamlining research presentations in this way is amplifying, perhaps even sensationalising to some extent, innovative approaches and new or surprising discoveries. Such a strategy can be successful, but caution and moderation are always necessary.

First and foremost, it is essential not to misrepresent your own research and arguments. It is surprisingly easy to get a little carried away when you are working to make your work sound as exciting and unique as possible, but moving beyond the evidence provided by sound research is never wise, even if you are writing in a relatively informal environment and anticipating an audience that may not be able to detect the exaggeration or deception. If the goal is to establish an authoritative scholarly perspective online, you will need to uphold the same high standards of scholarship that you would were you writing an article for publication or a conference paper for presentation. Take special care with your vocabulary choices and phrasing so that your text accurately describes your research and includes any necessary qualifications or limitations. Better to express enthusiasm for sound research and excitement over genuine discoveries than to mislead your readers in an attempt to attract attention by transforming your work into something it is not.

Presenting methods, results and ideas that differ from those found in the research of your predecessors is an excellent means of standing out as an online scholar, but your fresh concepts will be more impressive and convincing if you maintain an attitude of respect and, when appropriate, gratitude for those predecessors. Reflect on the respectful ways in which academics and scientists refer to the work of fellow scholars in relation to their own research when the intention is publication through a top-notch journal or university press and aim for that same courteous approach in your online writing. Remember that being a productive and engaging member of an intellectual community involves not only individual excellence, but also a communal spirit of mutual respect, and keep in mind as well that when the time comes – and it most assuredly will – that other younger scholars are questioning and moving beyond your new discoveries, you will certainly want those eager investigators to extend to your research and writing the respect they deserve.