A blog is a website with regularly updated content that functions like an online diary. Blogs can be private or public and have a variety of forms from private research diary to public news feed.

Watch a video on blogging in plain English

Why blog?

• To publicise a project or archive
• To comment on developments in your research area
• To disseminate research and receive feedback
• As a discussion forum
• To keep track of research progress in a private blog
• To store information and links that catalogue themselves
• Practice for journalism or PR-related careers

Download the video podcast of the blogging workshop part 1 and part 2

  Popular blogging platforms include wordpress and blogger

Blogs to read

• The GSRR Blog
  http://www.gradschoolreadingroom.blogspot.com
• Postgraduate student blogging communities at Leicester
  http://attic-museumstudies.blogspot.com/
  http://www.newhistorylab.org/
• PhD blogs
  http://malenel.wordpress.com/
  http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/articles/phd_blog_43.jsp
• Blogs by academics at Leicester
  http://www.microbiologybytes.com/blog/
• …and elsewhere
  http://mat.gsia.cmu.edu/blog/
  http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/