PhD Blogging

Mathemagenic is the blog of a PhD student who is blogging her research. Her research topic is "Personal productivity in a knowledge intensive environment: A weblog case". In a nutshell, she is blogging about blogging! This is actually a very interesting idea to me. Although I don’t use my blog as a work or research tool, I certainly see how it could be used as one. Perhaps after I get involved in my graduate work I will begin doing just that. The idea of a hyper-linked notebook that is searchable makes perfect sense to me. The more I use the internet and related technologies, the less I think in a linear fashion. Too bad term papers still have to be written on physical paper instead of in a hyper-linked document!

Mathemagenic discovered via Christina’s LIS Rant.

Idris H. His wrote an article in 2002 called "Things New PhDs Should Start Doing". In summary the points made:

1. Keep a Research Diary
2. Maintain an Electronic Bibliography
3. Know Your Search Engines
4. An Archiving System for Useful Info
5. Learn The Composition of your Research Community
6. Document Useful Learning Experiences
7. Keep a Professional Home Page
8. Maintain an Updated CV
9. Get Involved Early On
10. Develop Research Meta-awareness

With databases and content management systems we have wonderful tools to record information and organize it in many different fashions. Number One, Keep a Research Diary just screams blog. The blog doesn't have to be a public one, but the sharing of information can certainly be useful, especially if you connect with others doing similar research.