There’s a disconnect between the perception of what a research video is and the potential of what one might be. It’s problematic, when asked what a research video is researchers aren’t quite sure. There is the perception that research videos are less about research than an institutions’ marketing and promotion1.
Asking Dr Gabriela Lunardi, she’d never thought about a research video being a piece of topical content. Even though Lunardi is an expert on YouTube herself.
“When we started our conversation and you said research videos… I thought about those really kind of formal videos… which aren’t really entertaining, I don’t think.”
Lunardi watches research videos, when time allows, if they feature her colleagues and peers. Would she watch a research video if it lacks that personal connection? She doesn’t think so. If we can assume that other researchers feel the same way then the reality is that research videos, in their current state, reach a severely limited and insular audience.
“I always watch it and I want to know what’s happening, what that video is about, because I know the people, I know their research… Thinking about other institutions, I don’t really watch this type of content. So, I wonder if people from other institutions would be interested in these type of videos here at QUT?”
If researchers can’t see past the limitations of institution produced research videos, simply as promotional tools, how can we unlock their potential to realise research impact?
Lunardi has actually featured on other creator’s YouTube videos and really enjoyed the experience, which is not surprising. Like most researchers she loves to talk about her work, share her insights and contribute to public discourse.
“I find it fun to do. I like to give interviews, I like to talk about my research in a more informal way than a paper.”
But when asked if she has ever considered making her own videos, Lunardi said no and raised two critical issues. What Lunardi really needs is creative support and the acknowledgement that these endeavours are worthwhile.
“If I could just, like, record parts of it, and someone would take care of making it cool… and if it actually gets some recognition from it, that would also be a motivator… You don’t get the recognition that you deserve.”
If we consider Lunardi’s concern of acknowledgement, she also questions the value of online videos as citable sources for her own research.
Could these concerns that revolve around acknowledgment and the worthiness of research videos be resolved by making better research videos? If research videos were more than superficial promotional assets, perhaps there would be a shift in the way they are treated and acknowledged by scholars and the research community (including research communicators, marketers, and managers)2.
A question at the centre of my own research is: how can research videos contribute to the realisation of research impact, not just the promotion of apparent research impact that’s already happened?
And as far as support, what researchers need is a creative collaborator3. Researchers need that somebody to make it cool. And to make it easy. And to make it fun. Institutions provide technical support and resources for researchers to make their own content, in the form of one button studios4 and equipment lending libraries, but that technical stuff’s easy. What’s challenging, both in terms of the required skills and mental load, is experience in creative ideation to translate research to engage audiences beyond a researcher’s peers.
That’s where I hope my own research will be useful.
Check this out if you’re interested in making better research videos.
We’re not talking about conference presentations or webinars, but research videos in the form of online video as you’d see on YouTube.
There are heaps of great research videos and podcasts out there, this isn’t to say they don’t exist, but they certainly aren’t the norm for institutions.
Obviously, in addition to traditional media and communication support.
Most universities have user friendly, pre-lit green screen studios and all you have to do is put in your USB and go. But, surely it isn’t as simple as that? This might work well when you’ve got an engaged audience, such as teaching (though I’d still argue that the student experience would benefit from some creativity), but when you’re competing with YouTubers, TikTokers, and podcasters, you have to deliver content that meets theses audiences’ expectations.