Looking for “Digital scholars”: emerging profiles of networked researchers
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Dec 31, 2012
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Abstract
What impact are new Web 2.0 tools having on communication and publishing practices in the research field? Drawn from an unpublished Master’s dissertation, this paper reports a selection of findings from 14 semi-structured interviews with senior, early-career and doctoral researchers working in Humanities, Social Sciences, Medicine and Physics. The prevalent attitude is a pragmatic and efficiency-driven approach in selecting and using traditional and new tools. However, a few isolated examples have emerged of new ‘digital scholars’. These are researchers who, as well as producing and distributing knowledge, are devoted to building their personal digital identity, even though this aspect is not legitimized within their specific research context.
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Articles - General topics
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Rogers E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations (IV ed.). New York, NY, USA: Free Press.
Schonfeld Roger C., Housewright R. (2010). Faculty Survey 2009: key strategic insights for libraries, publishers, and societies. New York, NY, USA: Ithaka S+R. http://www.ithaka.org/ithaka-s-r/research/faculty-surveys- 2000-2009/faculty-survey-2009 (ultima consultazione 10.07.2012).
Weller M. (2011). The Digital Scholar: how technology is transforming scholarly practice. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic (open access). http://www.bloomsburyacademic.com/view/DigitalScholar_ 9781849666275/book-ba-9781849666275.xml (ultima consultazione 10.07.2012).
White D. S., Le Cornu A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: a new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16 (9). http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm /article/view/3171/3049 (ultima consultazione 10.07.2012).