edna.edu.au

What is desktop research?

Having been involved in several projects recently that required a desktop scan, I was a little surprised when asked to define it, that finding an authoritative definition has consumed almost as much time as doing a desktop scan on the original topic. So perhaps if I write my own definition it will save others facing this problem in future.

'Desktop scan' seems to be synonymous with the term desktop research, described by Delaney Woods (2005) as 'secondary research' (ie using secondary sources) that involves "the accessing of information from published resources and non-published sources."

When is desktop research appropriate?

As a method of investigation that involves use of predominantly freely-available online sites and documentation, desktop research can be used to gain an overview of a current or topical issue. It may be used prior to conducting market research, or other quantitative or qualitative research, to identify key issues, inform research questions, or in some cases to select potential research subjects. Desktop research is particularly relevant in situations where:

• academic research literature on the topic is limited
• the most recent and relevant material is likely to be published by government or commercial organisations
• reference to trends in very rapidly moving fields of study is required, eg ICT, government policy or business analysis
  
• collation of publicly available but unstructured information is required and where it is held across diverse organisations
  

What are the advantages of desktop research over other forms of research?

• It can be less expensive and less time consuming than original research
• It takes advantage of documentation and research already undertaken, and should add to that body of knowledge on completion
  
• It ensures that key research subjects or government departments are not constantly being contacted for similar research questions
  
• It is particularly suitable to online publication as most of the sources will be website links which can be hyperlinked, but it can also be produced as a printed report

What format does a desktop scan report take?

In a desktop scan from the Delaney Woods research service you can expect to find the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Scope
• Sources searched
• Full report with the information referenced, categorised, summarised and evaluated
• References listed and documented 
  

 I would welcome any other questions or answers about desktop research, and perhaps some links to examples (that aren't under embargo)!

Tags: research projects writing
Posted at 11:07PM Jun 05, 2010 by Pru Mitchell  |  Comments[0]

Livescribe 2

An update to my initial review of the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen.

1. My colleague John now has a Livescribe Smartpen and is using it during meetings and consultation interviews for a project we are working on. I am looking to his review of the pen. He says he only reviews things after a month of use - perhaps I should learn from that advice!

2. Kerrie is also keen to trial the Livescribe pen to make the task of Board meeting minutes less stressful. It is not possible to capture everything on laptop during the meeting, and the possibility of replaying sections to check when preparing minutes is appealing. So I re-packed everything in its box and handed it over.

3. When I was reading the help documentation to work out how to delete files and pages before handover, I discovered a link to MyScript for Livescribe. This provides exactly the functionality I was missing from the Livescribe set up as I had experienced it.
MyScript 30 day free trial once installed, connected directly with the Livescribe desktop and added a [Convert to text] button. Now my handwritten notes which I was too embarrassed to give to anyone, turn quickly into text which I can format, correct and circulate. There are quite a few underlined inaccuracies in the conversion, but no worse than usual OCR from a scanned typed source, and many times better than what I happily correct in the Australian Newspapers project.

Lessons learned

• Writing a review doesn't necessarily spread the word to colleagues most effectively. I should have done a demonstration, organised a brainstorm session - people with other potential uses provide a broader perspective
• Read the instructions! Not just at the beginning, but when you are starting to identify possible limitations.
• Uninstalling/decommissioning a tool should be done before writing a review. This was another whole topic.
  

Tags: writing livescribe reviews tools
Posted at 11:58AM Sep 06, 2009 by Pru Mitchell  |  Comments[0]

Livescribe

Last week I was lucky to receive a livescribe smartpen to review. (Big thanks to Tony of ITmadeSimple)

It is very cool, and very easy to set up and use, but it took me some conceptual jumps to work out its likely place in my arsenal of technology and gadgets. This made it exceptionally hard to 'review'. There is no equivalent thing in my universe to compare it against. My overall assessment is that I really needed this pen about a year ago, before I got my netbook and before I got my flip video camera. However, I suspect that, despite all the uses I have found for Livescribe, that I am not the person this device was designed for.

For all those students currently sitting in classrooms or lecture theatres handwriting notes, copying diagrams from the board or screen and listening to teachers present for 50minutes, the smartpen represents a major step - not a leap perhaps, but an easy pace into digital. For students struggling to keep up with their teacher's spoken content because of language or accent issues the opportunity to record the audio content, and replay it back at will (and at different speeds) is a major asset.

Compared to pen and paper?
Livescribe is larger than the biros I normally pick up, but still very comfortable to write with. The spiral bound lecture pad that came in the box looked just like a normal pad on the outside, but inside has

Compared to a scanner?
It is not unknown for keen students to scan their handwritten notes to computer for safekeeping and better organisation. The Livescribe makes this very easy. Home from lectures, place the pen in the USB cradle attached to a computer and up come your notes AND they are keyword searchable. However they upload as an image (with or without the lines) - OCR of handwriting to typed text would be a nice to have. I took minutes of several meetings this week quite happily, but didn't feel right about circulating jpgs rather than word documents.

Compared to a netbook?
While the pen is more portable than a netbook, and with much longer battery life once charged for the first time, the full size paper notebook with the required special paper is actually bigger than my netbook and didn't fit in my handbag, so I ended up taking a laptop bag/backpack with me anyway. It would of course be possible to take loose sheets of paper or get smaller notebooks, BUT the biggest missing feature compared to the netbook, is no possibility of internet access with Livescribe.

Compared to a digital recording device?
The audio I recorded at meetings and presentations was crystal clear (even without using the 3D earphones). The potential of using this audio for podcasting lectures, concerts, presentations or interviews is possibly the one that excites me most at this stage of my investigations. It is better audio quality than the Flip video which we have been using, and the fact that you could have synchronised notes would make both editing and transcripts of audio recordings much easier.
Accessories include notepads, ink cartridges, and 3D earphones with embedded microphones to pick up audio from all around a large room.

Resources

Education uses
http://www.livescribe.com/education/

• http://www.clicknewz.com/1835/livescribe-smartpen-review/
• http://www.clicknewz.com/1757/livescribe-smartpen/
  

Tags: tools writing reviews
Posted at 11:47PM Jun 22, 2009 by Pru Mitchell  |  Comments[1]

Workshop self-evaluation

Some questions I find I need to ask myself when I think I have finished preparing workshops and conference papers.

Content

Have I used Australian examples wherever possible?
Quotes, videos, images, organisations, curriculum/learning area names etc should be as relevant to your audience as possible. Look for and promote Australian sources, people, projects, urls and examples wherever you can.

Have I featured my own work and thinking, or that of my organisation and those of my key audience?
People expect to hear the presenter's voice. You are there because of your reputation, or that of the organisation or project you represent. It also helps to make links with the audience to show you have done research into their background and networks.

Have I used quotes and references that say something more than the participant would get from looking this up online?
Am I bringing my expert knowledge in this area to make it worth them reading/attending my paper? Do the concepts, links or discussion stand if your paper is published online as a reference?

Have I covered what was in the advertised blurb/abstract?
That's what people are expecting. Even if you have moved on in the 6 months since the abstract was accepted, or it feels 'old hat', you owe it to the audience who have selected your session to deliver what was promised. Of course include updated examples or recent developments if relevant.

Have I practised and timed my presentation under actual conditions?
For most people, timing the presentation will show something has to be cut down. Then allow for the lost time due to late start, or technology issues or lots of questions and cut some more slides or examples.

Have I included strategies and time for audience response or engagement?
Need to ensure some participant engagement early on in the session. Preferably something beyond laughing at a joke, but even this is better than launching in to the full content with no check that the audience is coming with you.

Presentation materials

Have I used the most appropriate template?
Your organisation may have a required template, or range of templates for different purposes. Use the most appropriate.
Conference organisers may require you to use a template that makes for a consistent conference experience and/or publication.
If this is a professional presentation ensure the template, graphics, colours etc reflect this. Avoid funny, cute and overtly personal themes and images.

Is my presentation design consistent?
Minimise font size changes, screen layout changes and other modifications that will annoy the audience.
Be minimalist about animation, transitions and special effects.

Have I prepared an appropriate number of slides?
Check how many slides per minute your presentation will average out to.
Is this realistic?

Is all text at least 30pt?
Kawasaki's rule: Optimal font size = Oldest person's age / 2
Have I cropped and re-sized screenshots so text is visible at the back of the room?

Do I have a title slide?
Does this match the conference programme? If technical support crew are responsible for loading slides they need to be able to find the correct presentation quickly. Audience members arriving early want to know they are in the correct room, and those looking for the presentation online want to find it easily.

Have I acknowledged and referenced all 3rd party materials?
Participants will want to follow up links, statistics and quotes so make sure there are links to this in the presentation, or provided in a handout.

Is everything acknowledged or copyright free so that the presentation can be shared?
To maximise re-use by others prefer use of public domain or Creative Commons licensed material.

Do I have a credits slide?
If you use any references, images, media, data in your presentation you need either a references box on each of these slides, or a credits slide listing these. It is best to label every image, even if a stock image, so everyone is clear about re-use status of your content. If using Creative Commons material ensure it is correctly attributed and linked.

Do I have a clear final or thank you slide?
You, your audience and the person advancing your slides needs to know when the final slide has been reached, so you can stop there on a blank or final slide rather than a black end of slide show screen sitting there during question time.

Is everything captured offline so I can present without internet access?
Two versions of a presentation are advisable, one cut down as much as possible for ease of posting online or emailing. One version with links to captured screenshots rather than links to web in case internet access or application access is not available or doesn't work during the presentation.

Can the completed presentation be readily transported or used by others?
What is the file size of finished presentation? Will it fit on USB, CD, DVD?
Can it be uploaded to group space online? Max 20MB?
Can it be emailed? Max 4MB?
Where is it to be saved online? Your blog, e-portfolio, group space, conference website, or association website?
Does it require any plug-ins, eg media, audio, application features?
Does it work on PC, Mac, open formats?
Is the text of the presentation available separately or embedded?

Have I had my presentation proofread?
Proofreader should check for consistency, clarity and copyright as well as correct formatting, spelling and linking.

Has someone else tried presenting using my slides?
It is possible that in a team, organisational or conference situation someone else may have to use this content, or even present on your behalf. Get that likely person to see if they could deliver it without too much adapting - recognising the fine line between personal style and organisational consistency.

Handouts

Have I had handouts proofread by someone else?

Have I checked all urls are as short as possible, and actually work?

Tags: writing how to presentations
Posted at 12:00AM Apr 27, 2009 by Pru Mitchell  |  Comments[0]

How to write a conference paper

[Relocated post: Originally published on 30 June 2007]

• Do a thorough literature review - comprehensive for Australia and your sector, and at least checking international papers and key documents from other sectors, or complementary fields. There is no point presenting what others have already written, but building on their work benefits everyone.
  
• Pull together relevant work and themes from existing presentations by colleagues
• Set up [del.icio.us/diigo] tags and let people know what you are researching so others can contribute relevant material and follow your research.
  
  
• Draft an outline of the paper, and organise collected quotes, documents, readings, links and ideas under key headings. At this stage I find it best to keep the references firmly attached to quotes as footnotes, even if this is not the final format required.
• It is not enough to just collect material. Remember to make time to actually read and note these.
  
  
• At least four weeks before the paper is due, take a writing day away from the office, (and may be even offline!) to write a first draft from the material collected.
• Create a 'to do' notepad document where you note gaps that require further research, quotes to research or references to follow up.
  
  
• Blog the big questions/issues you have identified at this stage and invite comment.
• Continue to collect, read, think, follow up on the 'to do list' and clean up the paper.
• Remember to check back to the abstract and the conference requirements to ensure you have not strayed too far from the original submission.
  
  
• At least one week before the paper is due, do the final cut including correct referencing and styling and give it to at least one proofreader. You need to leave time to make the changes that they will suggest, and follow up any leads they provide to key references.
  
  
• Submit the paper in the required manner and ask for confirmation that it has been received. Find out how and when the paper will be published, and whether you are permitted to publish online either before or after the conference.
  
  [If it is a refereed paper, you will need to re-work it in line with the comments received back from the reviewers, and resubmit. There may well be a very short turnaround for this process.]
  
  
• SAVE a copy of the final paper clearly labelled as such in your official personal repository/file space. Then back it up.
  
• Provide a copy of the final version of the paper to the editor of your organisation's document archive/repository and website if appropriate, and advise of any embargo on publication.

Note: Sometimes the paper is not required until after the conference in which case you have the luxury of including any feedback, comment or issues raised by participants in the final version. The paper will also be more up-to-date.
However, by this stage you will quite probably never want to look at this paper again and will wish you had finished it before the conference.

Tags: research how to writing events papers conferences
Posted at 01:57PM Feb 01, 2009 by Pru Mitchell  |  Comments[0]