Are You Reading These 17 Science Blogs? You Should

These days everybody keeps asking “If you could only read 17 science blogs which would you choose?” so I decided to address this issue by sharing my favorite science blogs. If you are not already reading them, start today.

A science blog can be many things, from the rants of a frustrated PhD student to the award winning science communication articles. A science blog can save your PhD, give you exposure or many other good things.

I try to put together a balanced mix of blogs written for and by scientists. In this list we have blogs with tips for scientists, advice for PhD and graduate school students, blogs of science communicators, blogs with tools for scientists, and many others.

The only common factor is that I read them often and that I am glad they exist.

Life is short and we live in the information overload era. So don’t spend much time reading science blogs and if you do, make sure you read the following 17 science blogs.

The 3 Month Thesis

The Three Month Thesis is like The 4 Hour Workweek applied to thesis writing. James Hayton wrote his thesis in the blink of an eye and he shares in this science blog how to write fast a PhD thesis. In the meantime, he also shares time management tips for graduate students and other nice hacks.

You can hire James for some thesis coaching.

Website: 3monththesis.com
Twitter: @3monththesis

Literature Review HQ

Literature Review HQ is a science blog full of writing and reading advice for scientists. You will find great posts in how to process information and how to deliver your ideas in a clear and structured way. Not only this, Ben from Literature Review HQ gives away tones of free materials like ebooks and videos.

You can also hire Ben to help you personally.

Website: www.literaturereviewhq.com
Twitter: @litreviewhq

Study Hacks

Cal Newport is a rock-star student, scientist, writer, and blogger. He shares all the life hacks he has used to become a remarkable scientist and to publish multiple books.

A crossing between The 4 Hour Workweek and LifeHacker. Read this science blog and it will change your mindset.

Website: calnewport.com/blog

The Thesis Whisperer

The Thesis Whisperer is the companion blog for young scientists. It is the science blog where PhD students and postdocs get together to share and learn what it takes to be a scientist. Expect great “survive grad school” tips as well as those things you need to know but your supervisors are not teaching you.

Website: thesiswhisperer.com

Twitter: @thesiswhisperer

The Research Whisperer

The Research Whisperer is a science blog that focuses on what it takes to be a good researcher in academia. Think of The Thesis Whisperer but for all ages and covering topics that worry scientists during their careers.

Website: theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com

Twitter: @researchwhisper

PhD 2 Published

Another science blog rich in advice for early scientists and those things they didn’t teach you are graduate school. It focuses in academic writing, getting published and what it means to be a scientist in the digital age.

Website: www.phd2published.com

Twitter: @PhD2Published

AcademiPad

Many of us have some products of Apple, maybe a Macbook, maybe an iPad. AcademiPad shows how you can use Apple products in science. In this blog you will find the best reviews of Apple hardware and hand-picked apps to install in your iPad that will make your research a joy.

Website: www.joachim-scholz.com/academipad

Twitter: @academiPad

Science Of Blogging

Science of Blogging is an excellent blog to discover how to use blogs and social media in science. Be it for self promotion or just to communicate more effectively your science. You can also find interviews to famous science bloggers and occasional posts on other topics like open access and life as a scientist.

Website: scienceofblogging.com

Twitter: @travissaunders

A Blog Around The Clock

A Blog Around The Clock is the science blog of Bora Zivkovic, a hyperactive hyperproductive science journalist 2.o. Everywhere you look in the Internet you find Bora organizing a Science Online conference, interviewing scientists, or just transforming scientific publications into digestible articles.

Website: blogs.scientificamerican.com/a-blog-around-the-clock

Twitter: @BoraZ

Not Exactly Rocket Science

Not Exactly Rocket Science is the child of Ed Yong. Ed Yong is a full-time freelance science journalist that together with Bora Zivkovic is defining how science should be communicated in the 21st century. Read Ed’s posts if you want to see the beauty of science and journalism together.

Website: blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience

Twitter: @edyong209

Grad Hacker

Grad Hacker is a collaborative blog written to help graduate students to succeed in academia. In this science blog you will find articles to make your science life easier. Need help with Google? Got it. Want to know how to behave at scientific conferences? Covered. Tips on writing? Of course my dear.

Website: www.gradhacker.org

Twitter: @GradHacker

Prof Hacker

So I suck for academic hacks, time management tricks and new tools for scientists. Prof Hacker delivers these and more, much more. The posts target teaching activities but are 100% applicable to science. A great resource for “I didn’t know I could use that in that way”.

Website: chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker

Twitteer: @ProfHacker

Comprendia

This is the blog of Comprendia, a consulting firm specialized in marketing for science and biotech. Although many posts focus on biotech, it contains great content on how to brand yourself as a scientist, extend your network, get exposure, and progress in academic careers. Everything with the Web 2.0 touch we like at Next Scientist.

Website: comprendia.com/category/blog

Twitter: @Comprendia

Gobbledygook

If you want to know how Internet is changing science publications and journals, Martin Fenner is your man. And how else to share with the world but from PLoS Blogs? Martin will keep you updated with all the news from scholar communication and the myriad of online science start-ups that are created.

Website: blogs.plos.org/mfenner

Twitter: @mfenner

Labguru

Labguru is one of the new generation science start-ups and as such it runs its own blog. But don’t be afraid of it being just a tool for self-marketing. Labguru’s science blog delivers great tips for academics, from managing your PI to how to apply for research grants.

Website: blog.labguru.com

Twitter: @Labguru

Marketing for Scientists

What the…?? Marketing for Scientists? Yes, you need it. In this new era for scientists you are in charge of promoting yourself. And Marc Kuchner knows it well. He has written a Marketing for Scientists, a book that you should immediately buy, and a blog you should immediately follow. It’s time to take control of your scientific career and get where you want to be.

Website: marketingforscientists.com

Twitter: @marckuchner

Mendeley

Mendeley is one of my favorite apps for science. As a proper online company it shares its knowledge via a blog. Read Mendeley’s blog for tips on how to use Mendeley to its full potential but also for how to be a good digital scientist.

Website: blog.mendeley.com

Twitter: @mendeley_com

Your Favorite Science Blogs

Please share with us in the messages which other science blogs you follow and would recommend to other scientists.

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