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Academic Twitter blogs – 1/2

I am currently in a deep writing phase myself, so I regularly look for writing guidance and inspiration to develop my writing. As you can imagine, the landscape of online science communication and outreach is thriving, with researchers and academics using various platforms to share their insights and experiences. Among these platforms, academic blogs stand out as valuable sources for gaining deeper insights into researchers’ perspectives on scholarly publishing and academia. These blogs offer a wide range of content, from research-based information to personal anecdotes and opinions.

Recently, I found the following website, which compiled and summarized a few blogs that offer perspectives on academic life and scholarship. From discussions of academic writing to reflections on research methods and career advice. I drew back on the article of Andrea Haywardss, which she wrote in April 2018 for the “editage insights”. 1 Enjoy reading the first twenty:

  1. Academics Write (@academicswrite)
    • Managed by Kim Mitchell, an Instructor at Red River College.
    • Focuses on academic writing across disciplines.
    • Covers topics such as writing myths, self-efficacy, and student extensions.
  2. Athene Donald’s Blog (@AtheneDonald)
    • Managed by Athene Donald, Physics Professor at the University of Cambridge.
    • Offers opinions and perspectives on academic life.
    • Covers topics like academic conferences and gender disparity.
  3. Belcher Writing Advice (@WendyLBelcher)
    • Managed by Wendy Laura Belcher, Associate Professor at Princeton University.
    • Provides writing advice for academics and research on Africa.
    • Topics include journal article writing and managing peer-reviewed journals.
  4. Beyond the Doctorate (@FionaEWhelan)
    • Managed by Dr. Fiona Whelan, Academic Standards Officer at Queen Mary University of London.
    • Offers advice on transitioning from doctoral research to practical careers.
    • Covers challenges of post-doctoral life and alternative academic careers.
  5. Dan Cohen (@dancohen)
    • Managed by Dr. Dan Cohen, Vice Provost and Dean at Northeastern University.
    • Covers trends in library science, digital humanities, and science communication.
    • Introduces the concept of “blessay” and discusses new ideas and discoveries.
  6. Diary of Dr. Logic (@SaraLUckelman)
    • Managed by Sara L. Uckelman, Assistant Professor at Durham University.
    • Offers insights into scholarly publishing and academic life.
    • Covers teaching philosophy, work-life balance, and productivity tips.
  7. DoctoralWritingSIG (@DocwritingSIG)
    • Moderated by Dr. Claire Aitchison, Dr. Cally Guerin, and Dr. Susan Carter.
    • Forum for sharing information and resources on doctoral writing.
    • Covers grant writing, thesis/dissertation writing, and academic publishing.
  8. Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega, PhD (@raulpacheco)
    • Managed by Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega, Assistant Professor at CIDE.
    • Offers insights into academic writing, research, and public policy.
    • Covers topics like academic productivity, reading strategies, and public policy issues.
  9. Dr. Catherine Pope (@catherinepope)
    • Managed by Dr. Catherine Pope, freelance research and writing skills trainer.
    • Focuses on academic writing and productivity tools for researchers.
    • Provides tips on overcoming procrastination and using tools like Evernote and Zotero.
  10. Dr. Nadine Muller (@Nadine_Muller)
    • Managed by Dr. Nadine Muller, Senior Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University.
    • Provides support and resources for postgraduate and early career researchers.
    • Covers topics like academic job interviews, doctoral studies, and mental health in academia.
  11. Ellie Mackin (@EllieMackin)
    • Managed by Dr. Ellie Mackin Roberts, Teaching Fellow at the University of Leicester.
    • Offers insights into academic writing, conferences, and post-PhD life.
    • Covers topics like academic writing, job applications, and life in academia.
  12. Explorations of Style (@explorstyle)
    • Managed by Rachael Cayley, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
    • Discusses challenges of academic writing and strategies for improvement.
    • Covers topics like writing anxiety, reverse outlining, and the writing process.
  13. Feral Librarian (@mchris4duke)
    • Managed by Dr. Chris Bourg, Director of Libraries at MIT.
    • Discusses research libraries, higher education, and scholarly publishing.
    • Covers topics like open access, social justice, and personal interests.
  14. From PhD to Life (@FromPhDtoLife)
    • Managed by Dr. Jennifer Polk, academic, life, and career coach.
    • Offers resources for transitioning from PhD to career.
    • Covers topics like academic writing, career paths, and work-life balance.
  15. From The Lab Bench (@FromTheLabBench)
    • Managed by Dr. Paige Brown Jarreau, Science Communication Specialist at LSU.
    • Discusses science communication, blogging, and social media.
    • Covers topics like science blogging, social media advice, and science journalism.
  16. Get a Life, PhD (@tanyaboza)
    • Managed by Tanya Golash-Boza, Professor of Sociology at UC Merced.
    • Offers advice on balancing academic and personal life.
    • Covers topics like academic writing, publishing, and work-life balance.
  17. Green Tea and Velociraptors (@Protohedgehog)
    • Managed by Dr. Jon Tennant, Founder of Open Science MOOC.
    • Discusses research interests, peer review, and open science.
    • Covers topics like peer review, open access, and science communication.
  18. Helen Kara (@DrHelenKara)
    • Managed by Dr. Helen Kara, Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.
    • Offers insights into research methods, academic writing, and ethics.
    • Covers topics like academic writing productivity and research ethics.
  19. James Hayton, Phd (@jameshaytonphd)
    • Managed by Dr. James Hayton, PhD coach and former physicist.
    • Provides advice on PhD research and writing.
    • Covers topics like academic writing, thesis topics, and PhD survival.
  20. Jo Van Every (@JoVanEvery)
    • Managed by Dr. Jo Van Every, academic career guide.
    • Offers advice on academic writing and decision-making.
    • Covers topics like writing skills, publishing, and work-life balance.

These blogs offer valuable insights and resources for researchers at all stages of their academic journey, making them indispensable sources for anyone interested in scholarly publishing and academia.

  1. Hayward, Aandrea (2018): 40 Must-read academic blogs for researchers and PhD students, in: editage insights, https://www.editage.com/insights/40-must-read-academic-blogs-for-researchers-and-phd-students, [Last Access: 28.4.2024] []