I'm A Snapchatting Researcher

I Don't Research ABOUT Snapchat.  I USE Snapchat.

My kids use Snapchat.  My students use Snapchat.  I'm not playing the "forever young" game, and I'm not on a quest to prove my eternal youth.  I just find this channel helpful in my research. 

​Here's why:

Visuals To Illustrate What Needs To Be Done

My coauthors and I are in the process of wrapping up a manuscript.  As I went through it, I noticed a line gap in a table.  I could have sent a longish email with an attempt to describe where the line gap was, and what needed fixed, with a whole bunch of details to describe where and what was going on.  Instead, I sent a quick Snap of my screen, used the pen to circle the issue, typed out what we needed done, and within 15 minutes the table was fixed.  (I blacked out and blurred content -- sorry, manuscripts in progress aren't open-access.)

Visuals For Formatting

A coauthor and I were in a friendly spar about what third level APA formatting should look like (this is sort of like the Oxford comma discussion, because there IS a right answer to both -- use it).  She went in and changed the formatting, then I skulked into the manuscript, changed it back, and sent a Snap of what the formatting should look like.  Bam!  

General Venting

I had an horrendous revise and resubmit due this month.  It seemed as if it took FOREVER.  Anyone who is on my Snapchat distribution list knew about it and was extra nice to me for a month or so!  And now, we are currently in the throes of Canadian university "Reading Week", which is really a gigantic euphemism for Spring Break. I've spent it writing, grading, and preparing to sell my house (yeah, in the middle of the semester -- that was a great decision).

Progress

I have found that using Snapchat as a form of accountability for writing progress really works.  It's kind of like an asynchronous Shut Up And Write, which is great because writing is a lonely job.  I have a habit of early morning writing, so at the end of my daily stint, I take a Snap of my word count, evidence of what I did, or some sort of "proof" that I showed up for my writing job, and send it to my Aca-Snappers.  One of my students and I commiserate about writing via Snapchat, and she told me that if she doesn't have a snap from me by the time she wakes up, she worries if I'm ok!  Friends who write in the evening or throughout the day send Snaps when they're done with their daily writing goals.  I find that Snapchat is great for a daily check-in.

Bonus:  It's Fun

If you've not barfed a rainbow before, Snapchat is your place.  Just send a Snap of your writing progress to me: AcademicBatgirl!