Post on 26-Mar-2015
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The missing link in the research cycle: AuthorAID at INASP
Julie Walker, Publishing Support, INASP
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Support for researchers
Research (access initiatives such as PERii, Research 4 Life)
Publish/disseminate(Support with Author fees, language editing services)
Apply for funding
Proposal writing workshops,
how to guides
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Challenges for developing country researchers
• Limited resources
• Lack of personal mentoring and support
• Lack of writing skills training
• Lack of knowledge of appropriate journals
• Pressure to publish in prestigious international journals
• Language issues
• Connectivity/ Power problems
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Publisher and institutional approach
• A sticking plaster approach• Directing authors to editing organisations or web
based guides but no training in writing skills or the mechanics of getting published or offering one-to-one support
• Some exceptions: Emerald, ISEE (International Society for Environmental Epidemiology), International Journal of Social Welfare
• More institutions recognising the importance of research writing skills training and support but lack resources
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AuthorAID www.authoraid.info
• www.authoraid.info
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Networking
• The AuthorAID website (www.authoraid.info) developed in collaboration with ILRT and Pure Usability Ltd.
• A global research community with over 1550 members and 3,000 to 4,000 visits per month
• Opportunity to communicate with other researchers across the globe
• Intersection of all AuthorAID activities
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Mentoring
• Either scientific or editorial
• South/South North/South North/North
• Manual matching and online
• Online mentoring system– Self matching– Online collaboration space but not compulsory– Guidelines and learning agreement
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Resources
• 182 resources in 6 languages:– English
– French
– Spanish
– Chinese
– Arabic
– Vietnamese
• Portuguese to be added soon. • Development of a Spanish website.
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Training
• Workshops on research writing– Currently seven per year– Held in AuthorAID focus countries and INASP partner
countries– Invited participants include AuthorAID registered members,
IFS and TDR grantees, INASP partner country researchers
• Future developments– Online teaching packs– Train the trainer workshops– Online tutorials and events– More social science workshops
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Support for researchers with AuthorAID
Research (use AuthorAID to connect with
other researchers in the field
Find a mentor/improve writing skills
through AuthorAID
Publish/disseminate!(Use AuthorAID to
help find the right journal)
Apply for funding (Use AuthorAID
for writing the funding proposal)
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New and future developments
• Facebook and Twitter accounts and ‘share this’
• Instant messaging
• Mobile friendly site
• ‘Publisher’s corner’ for calls for papers etc
• Publisher awards
• Online events
• Discussion list
• RSS feeds
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How can you help?
Recruiting mentors:• Involve societies• Retired academics/editors• Instructions to authors
Other support:• Guest blogs• Resources• Supporting publisher awards
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Mentor comments
..looking periodically at the AuthorAIDwebsite helps me seethe issues thatdeveloping-countryresearchers regardas important..
I am trying to assist busy medical doctors in learning to write, set goals, do statistics, etc. as partof a fellowship plan. It's good to know others are doing the same and that resources areavailable.
Satisfying to have a way for me to
use my specialized skills to help the world scientific
community. Looks good on my
LinkedIn profile.