Collaborate with writing
This section will introduce you to a variety of tools to help you write with others.
Online communication tools
Make sure what you write via email is clear, respectful and does not misrepresent others or misinform your recipient. Your QUT email address and your signature is an indicator of your academic reliability and authority. Include the link to your personal QUT ePrints page in your email signature as this can prompt email recipients to investigate your publications.
Voice
Speaking to a collaborator over the phone can quickly clear up the small confusions and misinterpretations that proliferate in emails. Internet based phone services (VoIP) can save money for long distance calls and may have video capabilities.
- Zoom is an online meeting/virtual conferencing tool. Use Zoom in your studies to communicate online by video with users within QUT and outside of QUT, send instant messages, share screens, and annotate a presentation.
Talking in groups
Many telephones and VoIP services allow conference calls allowing a group of collaborators to discuss their research together. Videoconferencing can be used by both staff and students to communicate across two or more locations. You may also be able to use video conferencing from your desk or mobile phone. QUT offers videoconferencing facilities at campuses for communicating across two or more locations.
Collaborative work spaces
Wikis
Wikis allow you to create, edit and use content together via an ordinary web browser. It is like a web page that you can edit yourselves. You can control who can view, contribute or edit and attach files or images and data.
- QUT Wiki is a secure and powerful workspace that can be used as a complete workspace for your team, including calendars, chat, checklists and news pages. There are many other wiki 'farms' where you can create a wiki for your group. Some offer free access (usually limited) with advertisements, or you can pay for a premium wiki.
SharePoint
QUT currently uses Microsoft SharePoint as a tool for collaboration. This tool creates a single web based environment that integrates with Microsoft Office applications. It is used for a variety of different purposes to coordinate and communicate within groups and includes version and access control. Currently it is only available to QUT staff but if you are collaborating with a staff member access can be arranged.
File sharing and sync tools
QUT offers access to QUT OneDrive and Dropbox as endorsed and supported tools for you to share files with colleagues, both inside and outside of QUT, or synchronise (sync) your own files, so you can access them any time, any place, from any device.
Note: The H and U drives (excluding the Research folder on the U drive), OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and portable storage devices should not be used for the storage of master copies of research data.
All staff need to consider the most appropriate tool for your needs considering the type and classification of information you are sharing or syncing. All file sharing and sync tools are to be used in accordance with the Acceptable Use policy, the Information Security policy and the Management of research data.