One of the major experience I had in my academic life was definitely the 12 days I spend in Tartu (Estonia) this summer. Why should I advice to spend your hollyday there ? Because the ECREA Summer School takes place over there again this year, and that it worth it. I would be very dificult to describe all arguments I have in order to convince other people to attend it...

• Intellectually: challenging, path breaking and mind opening discussions, presentations, etc.
• Academically: help and support on a wide area of methods and methodology, do-it-yourself approach and creative seminars

In addition, these days have been absolutely fabulous, parties and bars every nights, hard work and fun every days, friendships, support and community building spirit... I really encourage any phd student who has a research question to attend the SuSo. there is no need to be at the end of the thesis... It's when you know what you want to do but not how to do it that this is best time to go.

A special thanks and hug to Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt and Nico Carpentier for there comitment to the organization of that SuSo and also all teachers who have spend time with us... If I had time, I would have go there again...The only thing you have to know is that the best class was the class of 2007...sorry but that's life !!

these pictures are taken from Helle's shared picture on Tartu 2007 picasa account

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Among all outputs which happened since the end of the ECREA SuSo, I would like to take the chance to share the product of the Poster Session Workshop. Kathleen Arendt (U.Erfurt) has posted all the pictures in our Picasa account. I have taken the piece of code to embed the sideshow here...

Lots of interesting ideas, and also lots of improvements needed. Anyway, when it will be time for us to do one poster, we won't start from scratch...

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After a long period of non-blogging activities, I am considering to re-open this blog. Actually I've just spent 2 marvellous week at the ECREA Summer School, hold @ Tartu, Estonia. I have met 37 student, 20 lecturers in addition to the staff. I think that in term of audience, I have now a "sort of" potential critical mass. By the way, the crucial point is the content...

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As I've just applied to the European Media and Communication Doctoral Summer School, and because some pub' is made about this blog on its website, it seems the good moment to add a new stuff: emerging scholars need (at least once) to attend a summer school.

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As scholars use the internet as major (unique ?) access to information and mean of communication for significant time, lots of stuff have occurred and help them in their daily activities. The evolution of recent year have increased the number of channels and sources information and the struggle to manage them has grown more and more. This statement is neither new nor path-breaking but it was the greatest basis of the creation of this blog. Among all stuffs suggested here, this one is the most important: emerging scholar need...a feed reader.

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No comment...just sadness

For the first time since almost 5 years, I won't have a real spring break this year. As you know, it is when you loose something that you realize how it can be great, important or whatever. I know it is not always possible, but if you have the opportunity, emerging scholar should have a spring break.

pict taken from here

Jer'm

While following links during a research on Evaluation of quality websites I found a result which led me to an interesting service I had ignored until now: Slideshare. It may be described as a youTube-like service which allows user to publish and share their slide-shows (Power Point presentations). As that kind of material is very used in academic life, I think that emerging scholars could need a SlideShare account.

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A stuff a bit anecdotal today... I think that it is a good reflex to have a digital camera when attending special events of the academic life. I know every emerging scholar don't have the money for that but if possible, do not hesitate... Today, some leader have emerged fro the mass and are now widely known to offer at least free basic account. they are good ways to store, publish and share photos ore videos...Emerging scholars should consider to get one of those.

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Normally, there is no need to present del.icio.us to modern scholars because the huge buzz made about it last months (or years). Just in case, here is a short description of it: It is a social bookmarking services which allows a user to share its bookmarks with others, especially by tagging them the way he wants. As one of the philosophy I encourage in emerging scholar's work is knowledge sharing, I state it far good: emerging scholars need a del.icio.us account. To have clue of what it looks like, here is mine...

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Mindmapping remains a useful way to organise ideas, to support creativity and to reflect one's brain image of the moment...By the way, lots of people are often afraid by the mess it can look like at first and the software's complexity they imagine. I have to say that it is not the case. The mess I sometimes create for myself is easy to understand for me, and tools are numerous and not so hard to master. Emerging scholar have to deal with great challenges regarding the organization of their ideas, documents, resources, reflections, references, etc. A Phd thesis may be considered as an intellectual and intangible construction, based on the production of one's brain...that why young scholars should consider to optimize the way they organize it. In that task, I suggest a great stuff: Mindmapping.
this picture is taken with a link from here

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I know this could seem evident but when it is not always so... I met young scholars who don't have the chance to work regularly on a computer dedicated to their job. Reasons are varying: 3 computers for a team of 20 people, no credits, etc. I consider this stuff as a chance but in my opinion, having one is really important to do good research jobs. After a bit more than a year of work, I believe that a really important stuff for an emerging scholar is: a personal and efficient computer

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Refering to the assertion that young scholars don't need to reinvent the wheel, I noticed that being one implies lots of practices to apply. And actually all of them are not as natural as some may believe. At first, I tried a way of working I used to apply previously as MA student but rapidly I felt lost and inefficient. When one of my colleagues suggested me to read a specialized book, guiding people like me in their research, I was surprised to see that if I was on the good way (good news), I still had lots to improve. I didn't need more to decide to suggest that stuff to emerging scholars: a research guide

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Depending on your age and the country you come from, those stuffs may seem more or less evident. By the way, they are real facilitators in an emerging scholar logistic life. I know it is basic but considering to get some depending on your need is already a good point.

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Lots of people know that Google service now. In the context of an emerging scholar work, I would like to propose a useful usage of it, suggested earlier by Brainsfeed, and reminded this morning by the same person. Gmail has to 2 functionalities which are interesting regarding the way scholars manage their info: it offers a discussion system and an internal search engine. Geeks and techies won't be amazed by that stuff but I think it deserves to be suggested.

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