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At the boundary between research and practice:
research collaboration between UCL Department
of Information Studies and The National Archives
Dr Valerie Johnson
Head of Research, The National Archives
Valerie.Johnson@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk
Professor Elizabeth Shepherd
Director of Research, Department of Information Studies, UCL
e.shepherd@ucl.ac.uk
Collaboration: what does it mean ?
• Project
• Archive Staff - University Staff - Student
• Organisations
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Three W's
• Ways of working: practical challenges
• Worked less well
• Worked well
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Ways of working: practical challenges
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Agreement
Finances
Different patterns of working; different rhythms
Different perceptions of time
Different perspectives
Student expectations
Worked less well: learning from experience
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Supervisory change
Supervisory choice
Embeddedness in the organisation
Change over time
Specific project
Worked well
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Same discipline and culture
Networking
Access to new literature and thinking
External perspective
Luxury of having someone to focus on one project
Specific project
Exploration
Positives to take forward
• Be involved early in the choice of project: is it right for your
organisation ?
• Choose a supervisor close to the project
• Embed the student in the department socially
• Set project objectives, but don't expect the project to deliver
business objectives
• Be flexible
• Be prepared to put time in
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Contribution to supporting professional development
and research
for the better future of the archive profession
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