Why do I blog and “Why do academics blog?”

Mia Tedjosaputro — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 12:32:00 +0000

One might ask, why do a PhD student blog? To be honest, I donâ€™t feel awkward about it. I have been blogging since I was in high school. It used to be dialogue between me and my best mate who studied in Australia and I am sure nobody else read it. The reminiscence of blogging came out when it was compulsory to maintain a design blog during my master study. At first it was unusual to â€˜publishâ€™ an on-going project, as designers tend to sort of be secretive about design process. But then I enjoyed it. It is good to freeze some on-going ideas and try to present it in a very casual manner. For me, the idea was borrowed from habits of dealing with design projects and applies it in my research.

However, I came across this published article about the growing trend about blogging.

Mewburn, I. & Thomson, P. (2013). Why do academics blog? An analysis of audiences, purposes and challenges. Studies in Higher Education, 38, 1105-1119.

It is observed by them that blog offer:

1) â€œreaching wider audiences and for networkingâ€ and it is related with the need to address impacts beyond academics (blue skies research).

Fortunately I just attended Research Impact workshop on Friday, and these impacts are seriously highlighted especially within UK Higher Institutions.

2) help academics to write in aÂ less serious way.

I do agree with this. We all know that writing is not easy (never will) and this platform is a good way to exercise. Especially for a non English native speaker like me. Aside from doing our research, because that is our priority, of course!

So, why not blogging?

blogging – Mia Tedjosaputro

Why do I blog and “Why do academics blog?”