Twitter for AcademicsKristin Briney

@KristinBriney

Why Tweet?

Keep up with the latest in your field

(Mick Baker)rooster https://www.flickr.com/photos/36593372@N04/8573457815/ (CC BY-ND)

Build your network

Hans Põldoja https://www.flickr.com/photos/hanspoldoja/5001818922/ (CC BY)

Self promote

Scott Beale / Laughing Squid https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/383433646/ (CC BY-NC-ND)

Helps with writing skills

Caleb Roenigk https://www.flickr.com/photos/crdot/6855538268/ (CC BY)

Anatomy of a Tweet

The Streamaka The Fire Hose

How To Tweetaka The Different Types of Tweets

What’s happening?

Headline + link

Question

Retweet

Retweet with comment

Reply

Direct message (DM)

Finding Your Network

Search for people directly

Kate Ter Haar https://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/7071545621/ (CC BY)

Watch your friends

Sreejith K https://www.flickr.com/photos/sreejithk2000/2385193167/ (CC BY)

Search the #hashtag• Who’s at tweeting about this

event?• See who’s chatting on a topic of

interest

Charles Hutchins https://www.flickr.com/photos/celesteh/4346584176/ (CC BY)

Twitter Etiquette

Reciprocal following not required

Dean Hochman https://www.flickr.com/photos/deanhochman/16064489288/ (CC BY)

Private accounts

smlp.co.uk https://www.flickr.com/photos/biscuitsmlp/2324706925/ (CC BY)

Tweeting at strangers

Michael https://www.flickr.com/photos/theparadigmshifter/470341923/ (CC BY-NC)

• Engage• Reach out to people in your field

• DON’T BE A JERK!• Jerks get blocked• Harassers get reported

Attribution• Just good practice

• Use “via” or “H/T”• or just Retweet

Peter Hellberg https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhellberg/2687875423/ (CC BY-SA)

Favorite

Lee Ann https://www.flickr.com/photos/leeannl/3279816851/ (CC BY-NC)

Live Tweeting

What is live tweeting?• Summarize or comment on an

event’s key points in real time• Eg. sports

• Capture essence of a talk in a handful of tweets

David Michalczuk https://www.flickr.com/photos/31954002@N08/14811288593/ (CC BY)

Why live tweet?• Shares information with people

who aren’t at event• Helps connect to people who are

at event• Build your network!• Sharpens your summarization

skills

• Be aware not all events encourage live tweeting

David Michalczuk https://www.flickr.com/photos/31954002@N08/14811288593/ (CC BY)

Use the #hashtag• Helps people find your tweets• Can build collection of tweets

post-event

Charles Hutchins https://www.flickr.com/photos/celesteh/4346584176/ (CC BY)

Attribute• Even more important when live

tweeting!

• Introduce speaker in first tweet• After that• “Briney: …”• “.@KristinBriney: …”

• Don’t forget the dot!

Peter Hellberg https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhellberg/2687875423/ (CC BY-SA)

It takes practice

Caleb Roenigk https://www.flickr.com/photos/crdot/6855538268/ (CC BY)

Controlling the Fire Hose

You don’t need to follow all the time

Zach Dischner https://www.flickr.com/photos/zachd1_618/3508955479/ (CC BY)

Make lists

sunshinecity https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunshinecity/985725985/ (CC BY)

Try Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, etc.

Glossary

Glossary• #hashtag = added information

useful for searching• @mention = including

someone’s handle in your tweet• @reply = beginning your tweet

with someone’s handle (hidden)

• RT = retweet• MT = modified tweet• LRT = last retweet• DM = direct message

Thanks!Kristin Briney@KristinBriney