Resources for Independent Scholars
----- NCIS ONLINE EVENTS -----
As well as members' presentations on their research, we continue our series on upskilling/reskilling which aims to enhance our digital skills and brands and contribute to our growth and development as researchers.
You can reserve your place on Eventbrite, but we ask you to log in to the meeting via Zoom as logging in via Eventbrite can be problematic.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Follow us on Eventbrite to receive news of forthcoming NCIS events.
2023
Nov (date tba) Presentation by the winner of the 2023 Eisenstein Prize, archaeologist Hannah Pethen Barrett.
PAST EVENTS
Videos of past events are available on our YouTube channel, unless there are copyright or data protection issues.
2 Sept 2023 "Demystifying Special Collections & Archives" led by Joanna Baines
17 June 2023 "Early Career Academia: An Insightful Overview" led by Kate Burrows
18 Feb 2023 "Our Journeys towards Independence": a seminar hosted by Helen Ross.
5 Nov 2022 SANDBOX PARTY
24 Sept 2022 SKILLS 3: “Building your Website; EstablishingB your Research Identity” presented by archaeologist and egyptologist Dr Hannah Pethen-Barrett. You will also need to download the PDF provided by Hannah
18 June 2022 "Letters, Lines, and Logs: Researching Early Modern Atlantic Merchant Ships, presented by Philip Reid, maritime historian, NCIS grantee and a 2021 Eisenstein Essay Prize winner (Copyright Phillip Reid 2022)
2 April 2022 SKILLS 2: Demystifying Special Collections and Archives for Independent Scholars, presented by special collections specialist Joanna Baines
12 Feb 2022 SKILLS 1: Social Media and Your Research Identity, presented by Hannah Pethen-Barrett, PhD (Copyright Hannah Pethen Barrett 2022)
7 Nov 2021 "Independent Publishing," presented by Philip Stover, RioVista Press. PPT available on www.nowinconclusion.com.
16 Oct 2021 "Independent Scholarship: A Colloquy with Ron Gross (author of the seminal Handbook for Independent Scholars) (Copyright Ronald Gross 2021)
19 Sept 2021 "Sandbox Party" Come and meet other independent scholars, compare notes, make friends in your discipline and beyond. Bring your own drinks and snacks!
23 June 2021 "Creativity in Research" presented by Helen Kara, PhD (Copyright Helen Kara 2021)
15 May 2021 "Chronology of a Transnational Social Movement: Japanese American A-Bomb Survivors and their Community Newspaper (Rafu Shimpo)" presented by Gloria R. Montebruno Saller, Ph.D. (NCIS Research Grant recipient)
17 Apr 2021 "The Early 18th-Century Apocalypse: How the Unforeseen Actions of a Few People Forever Changed Our World of War, Plague, and Smallpox, " presented by Margaret DeLacy, PhD
24 March 2021 QuickFIRE Alt-Conference hosted by the Forum for Independent Research Endeavours (FIRE-UK), the British Partner Group of NCIS.
Dr Helen Ross, "Mind the Gap: understanding teachers’ and parents’
differing views of dyslexia-friendly practice in COVID-19 remote-learning."
Dr Jasmine Hazel Shadrack, "Black Metal, Trauma, Subjectivity and Sound:
Screaming the Abyss"
Dr Amanda Haste, "Refocusing Music & Identity: Challenges of Creating a
Monograph from a Musicological Thesis"
PODCAST: “PUBLISHING YOUR THESIS”
This podcast on “Publishing Your Thesis” is the result of an NCIS webinar featuring panelists Jess Farr-Cox (academic editor), Dr Lyle Skains (creative digital writer) and Dr Jasmine Shadrack (music sociologist).
The questions tackled in this podcast include:
whether to publishing your research as journal articles or as a book…or both!
the emotional effect of revisiting your thesis
the transition from thesis to book
when to reach out to a publisher
personal writing style: academic or narrative
digital vs. print publications
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----- ACCESS TO RESEARCH RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS -----
Access to research resources is a perennial issue for independent scholars. Becky Nicolaides' blog post "My Journey through the Research Access Crisis" is an excellent read on the subject.
https://csw.ucla.edu/2019/03/05/my-journey-through-the-research-access-crisis/
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----- ETHICAL APPROVAL FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS -----
We are frequently asked about ethical approval, and although we have not been able to offer this outrselves we are pleased to share this link to a post by Dr Helen Kara which will answer many of your questions.
https://helenkara.com/2020/07/22/research-ethics-for-independent-researchers/
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----- FREE RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS -----
Free, virtual programs available from the UK-based Hay Festival (programme in British Summer Time). https://www.hayfestival.com/home
Free resources during the Covid epidemic: https://library.lasalle.edu/covidfree?fbclid=IwAR0Ygcv9OWUMHs9OMfc8Gl5ix-Xnpr3UV3cbkVrc3vKbkyBmH8wGVN4Fcd8
Project Muse: Open access https://about.muse.jhu.edu/muse/open-access-overview/
How to Thrive in Academia https://www.facultydiversity.org/fallaccess?fbclid=IwAR0Ygcv9OWUMHs9OMfc8Gl5ix-Xnpr3UV3cbkVrc3vKbkyBmH8wGVN4Fcd8
Women's History Month https://womenshistorymonth.gov/?fbclid=IwAR1iUvi_e-551q1dVsU7ZpZMtZAJ2r4QcAflRJvn_zHfw46o9pVDcf6i_hA
If there's a broken link, or you know of more free resources for indies, please email us on info@ncis.org.
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----- "STUDY BUDDY" PLATFORMS -----
To help you stay focused and achieve your research goals. Team up with one or more researchers for writing sessions:
FocusMate 50-minute 1-2-1 sessions. Can specify preferred gender of study partner. Up to 3 sessions per week for free. www.focusmate.com
MoocLab Study Buddy https://www.mooclab.club/study_buddy/
If you can recommend other platforms, please let us know on info@ncis.org.
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