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Grey (or gray) literature – 'grey lit' for short – includes such forms of communication as reports, white papers, dissertations, newsletters, slide decks, blogs, and podcasts. The Grey Lit Café explores the opportunities and benefits that grey lit provides for professionals and researchers. The podcast is directed by Anthony Haynes, produced by Dr Bart Hallmark, and published by Frontinus Ltd, a communications agency focused on engineering, infrastructure, sustainability, and research. Frontinus provides consultancy, editing, writing, and training services. If you're creating some grey literature and would like some support, contact us via our website, frontinus.org.uk.
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Anthony Haynes writes: It was a treat for this episode to be able to interview Rob Johnson, founder and Managing Director of Research Consulting Ltd. RC is a long-established organisation dedicated to improving the effectiveness and impact of research and scholarly communication. Rob and his colleagues have worked on a vast range of projects with a variety of stakeholders, including funding agencies, universities, learned societies, and, increasingly, publishers. This wide-ranging interview p...
One question we explore on this podcast is that of antecedents: what came before podcasts? This episode tells the wonderfully rich history of chautauquas - an enterprising means of bringing entertainment and informal education to small-town America. Chautauquas can be thought of as a kind of predigital Spotify.Reference James R. Schultz, The romance of small-town chautauquas (Univ. of Missouri Press, 2002)Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might particularly enjoy ...
Anthony Haynes writes: This episode is the third of our series on the relationship between letters and grey literature. In the first, we made the case, using the case of the correspondence of communications theorist I.A. Richards, for considering letters as a form of grey literature. In the second, using the case of correspondence between George Lyttleton and Rupert Hart-Davis, we explore the idea of letters as an antecedent of podcasts.Now we consider what implications the idea of coun...
Anthony Haynes writes: Cultural forms and communicative genres tend not to emerge from a vacuum: they tend to emerge from existing forms. In the case of podcasts, obvious candidates include lectures, essays, sermons, and radio interviews. And, we suggest here, letters. In this, the second of a series of three episodes devoted to the topics of letters, we examine the resemblance between podcasting and letters.Using as a case study the literary correspondence between George Lyttleton and ...
Grey literature covers a multitude of genres - for example, reports, white papers, preprints, and newsletters. But what about letters?Letters are not usually listed amongst grey literature forms, but this episode puts the case for why letters should sometimes be considered as grey literature. Reflecting on the letters of literary theorist I.A. Richards, the episode both examines the advantages of considering letters in this light and explores issues and implications that arise from this way o...
Overwriting - producing a draft that exceeds your word (or page) limit - is an extremely common problem amongst writers in science, research, and professional areas. In this episode, Engy Moussa interviews Anthony Haynes. They examine why this problem arises, what harm it does, and, crucially, how to overcome the problem. The discussion outlines practical solutions, with an emphasis on how to prevent the problem from arising. Topics include the psychology of writing and techniques for plannin...
Anthony Haynes writes: On The Grey Lit Café we frequently explore grey literature by genre. Here we extend our coverage to the genre of case studies.To guide us, we interview Dr Farrah Arif, Senior Lecturer at the University of Hull. Farrah takes us on an expert, and enthusiastic, tour of the genre, taking in:how case studies work and what they are used forthe attraction of case studies and their benefitswhat to do when writing cases - and what not to dohow to develop as an author of cas...
Anthony Haynes writes: I've long fought for a greater appreciation of forms of serious communication, other than just books and journal papers - forms such as reports, white papers, presentations, and blogs.But it's difficult because the collective term for such forms is 'grey [or 'grey'] literature', which is a term likely to enthuse anyone.'Grey' too easily evokes dullness and drabness. So the term won't do. Instead, I propose 'silver literature' - a term that does more justice to the sense...
Many engineers need to give presentations. They do so in a variety of contexts - for example, as part of a pitch, project report, conference, or job application. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a top-quality resource on how to do presentations, specifically about engineering?Well, there is! This episode introduces Rothwell & Cloud's Engineering speaking by design,ReferenceEdward J. Rothwell & Michael J. Cloud, Engineering Speaking by Design: Delivering Technical Presentations w...
Word processing has been around a long time now - so long, that we barely use the phrase anymore. So dominant in our workflows has it become that we act as though there's no need to distinguish it - as if there is simply no alternative. So pen and paper have become redundant forms of technology then?Well, no, actually. This episode dares, unfashionably, to explore how non-digital technology can contribute to the workflows used in the creation of pieces of professional and scientific communica...
You can wait a long time for ambitious innovations in the communication of science and research - and then two come along together.In our previous episode, Scholarly Podcasts, Mack Hagood articulated his thinking behind a novel approach to podcasting.Now we're delighted to publish our interview with Prof. Giovanni Salucci (University of Florence) and Dr Erika Paoletti on a novel approach to blogging.Blogging, of course, is no longer new to the field of scientific and scholarly communication. ...
Anthony Haynes writes: Many scientists and researchers have come to realise that communicating their work effectively requires them to tell a story.But how?One resource is brilliant at answering that question: Putting stories to work, by Shawn Callahan. This review introduces some of Callahan's key insights and recommendations.ReferenceShawn Callahan, Putting stories to work (Pepperberg Press).Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might particularly enjoy the followin...
Anthony Haynes writes: Nobody could accuse The Grey Lit Café of ignoring innovation in the communication of science and research! In fact, we're delighted to showcase innovative thinking, as in such episodes as Innovation in research dissemination: Cora Cole on GreyLitOnline lecturing: Bart Hallmark on pitfalls and good practiceUnderstanding preprints with Jonny Coates- and shortly we'll be publishing an interview with Giovanni Salucci on his notion of 'the quality blog'. Here, in ...
Though opinions differ on the scope of grey literature, there's consensus that white papers represent a core genre of white papers.This episode examines the place of white papers in the grey literature landscape. In particular, itexplores what constitutes the essence of white papers, distinguishing them from such forms as (a) pure marketing material and (b) technical documentsexamines the purpose and value of white papersReferencesMichael A. Stelzner, Writing white papers (Whiepapersource, 20...
Much of the content on The Grey Lit Café is pragmatic, concerned with how to improve the creation or management of grey literature ('greylit'). And some of it is conceptual. concerned with how to inform our thinking about greylit.This episode seeks to make a contribution by combining the two sets of concerns.From a pragmatic point of view, we consider how to improve the processes involved in the creation of such documents as grant proposals and responses to peer review.From a conceptual point...
Having to pitch yourself and your work in order to win an opportunity is a standard component of professional and scientific life - and one that many people find challenging.In this episode, Dr Yuxia Zou (Nanyang Business School) reflects on her experience of pitching and identifies actionable insights for other pitchers. Yuxia reflects both on the activity itself and on the formative process behind it.Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy:Developing ...
Anthony Haynes writes: Our episode on the relationship between dissertations (or theses) and books marked the final episode of our fourth season.Here, in this additional episode, I reflect on the season. What types of content have we published, in what genres of podcast?And what have been the key learning points?Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy:Welcome to the Grey Lit CaféWhat makes a good podcast? What makes good comms?What makes a good podcast?...
Anthony Haynes writes: You've written a dissertation or thesis. You'd like to write a book. How are the two forms related? How to transition from one to the other? In this episode, we seek to provide detailed, professional, insights into making a success of the process.ResourcesWilliam Germano, From dissertation to book (Univ. of Chicago)Beth Luey, Revising your dissertation (Univ. of California)Eleanor Harman, The thesis and the book (Univ. of Toronto)Anthony Haynes, Writing successful acade...
Anthony Haynes writes: What are preprints?Where do they fit into the ecology of science publishing? And how did the pandemic change their role?What do people believe about preprints? How accurate are those beliefs?In this interview, Dr Jonny Coates (Associate Director, ASAPbio) demythologizes preprints and their role in research dissemination. Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy:Developing proposals: insights from behind the scenesSponsored reports:...
Anthony Haynes writes: The title is this episode forms the sub-title of a book by Gerard M. Crawley & Eoin O'Sullivan called The Grant Writer's Handbook.The episode on the latest in our series of reviews of grey literature resources. In it, I seek to characterize the book as a whole and identify some highlights of the book.Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might find the following of interest:Developing proposals: insights from behind the scenesOther reviews o...
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