Imagine you’ve gone out to café and you ask for a salad. What arrives is a chopping board, a knife, a bowl, a lettuce, a tomato, a carrot, a bundle of random herbs, a mystery fruit and sundry bottles and jars. You are surprised. This wasn’t what you were expecting. And you really don’t know what […] … learn more→

Look.  I don’t really want to start the new year off with a rant. But I just can’t sit on this any longer. I’m climbing onto my soap box now, taking up my megaphone and shouting. THERE ARE NO RULES FOR ACADEMIC WRITING. THERE ARE CONVENTIONS. THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS. AND YES. THERE ARE THINGS WE NEED […] … learn more→

The limited diversity of the research profession is a global problem, with those who are minoritised on the basis of gender, race, caste, ability, class and socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and citizenship status (among other reasons) facing systemic disadvantages in becoming a research professional. Limited diversity in the research profession means not only that the […] … learn more→

We are writing this end-of-year piece as yet another COVID wave besets Victoria, Australia (where the Research Whisperers live). Doesn’t COVID realise that it’s, like, so 3 years ago? Unfortunately, it is very much still with us. Definitely like someone who invited themselves over to your place and just won’t leave. Discussing what our theme […] … learn more→

Attracting research funding is part of the job at most universities. As such, you need to allocate some of your working time to do that job. But how much time is needed for writing applications? In 2009, Karen Mow estimated that Australian academics spent, on average, 30–40 days per year writing research council grant applications (Mow, […] … learn more→

Archivists assist users like historians, genealogists, students or citizens in locating, accessing and interpreting archives. Archival reference services have long been seen as services that mediate understanding and dialogue between archivists, users and archives to make documentary objects more accessible and usable. Recent years have seen the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in heritage institutions like libraries, archives, museums and galleries. Researchers […] … learn more→

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed many industries by enabling machines to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence. The research community is just one of the groups exploring the benefits of AI in analysing content, organising data and more. However, as with any new technology, there are ethical considerations we must consider […] … learn more→

For many funding agencies, your readers will usually fit into one of two categories: The reviewer is usually a subject specialist. They are being asked to comment on the substance of your proposed research. The panellist usually has a significant profile in the field. They won’t necessarily have a knowledge of your area. Your proposal, […] … learn more→

The word ‘epistemic’ comes from the Greek for ‘relating to knowledge’. Knowledge is usually thought and spoken of as something neutral, but the way knowledge is used is often far from neutral. Knowledge and its use – or misuse – can contribute to justice or injustice, freedom or subjugation, violence or peace. The concepts of epistemic […] … learn more→

Research plays a pivotal role in society. Through research, we gain new understandings, test theories and make discoveries. It also has a huge economic value. In 2021, the CSIRO found every A$1 of research and development investment in Australia creates an average of $3.50 in economy-wide benefits. But how do we know if individual research projects being […] … learn more→