Fundermental Top 10 of 2015

For the past two years I've done a round up of the most read posts on Research Fundermentals. As a reminder, here are the lists for 2013 and 2014.

Now, in this season of lists and mellow fruitiness, it's time to have a look at what's been top of the pops on the blog this year. And, for a change, we'll do them in reverse order. You know, to give you a little excitement, a little suspense. How can you possibly resist?


10. Imposter Syndrome: Notes from ECR Network (April): most of us experience an irrational feeling of being a fraud at some point in our professional lives, and no where more so than in academia. This post was a write up of a very useful session on dealing with these feelings.
9. NERC Demand Management: a Clarification (Feb): NERC introduces a somewhat complex methodology for calculating demand management measures. Hilarity ensues.
8. Exclusive: Design of REF2020 Logo Revealed (Oct): Everyone's wondering what the next REF will look like. Thank god they've sorted out this cornerstone of the exercise, the logo.
7. Impact: What Works? (Oct): Julie Bayley of Coventry University visits and explains how best to ensure that your research has impact.
6. Leverhulme Fellowships: Notes from a Panellist (Oct): Round about the same time Prof Davina Cooper spoke at a Grants Factory session on what to look out for when apply for a Leverhulme Fellowship.
5. AHRC Announces Emergency Car Park Excavation Scheme (March): Into the top five: after the excitement of the discovery of Richard III beneath a car park in Leicester, the AHRC adjusts its funding priorities.
4. 'I Doubleplusbellyfeel the Notion of Unobstacles' (April): Warwick introduces 'Tone of Voice' guidelines. Big Brother would be proud
3. Nurse Review of RCUK: the Full Transcript (Jan): At the beginning of the year we knew that Sir Paul Nurse had been tasked with reviewing the Research Councils, but nothing more. A lack of knowledge has never stopped Fundermentals before, and this post imagines his reception at Death Star House.
2. ESRC Success Rate Drops to 10% for July Open Call (Jan). Thoughts following the news that the ESRC success rate had dropped to a new low. This triggered an interesting Twitter discussion, captured in Storify, here.
1. Government Follows up REF with TEF and FTEF (Nov). And finally, this year's most popular post: a tongue in cheek announcement of the Government's plans to assess absolutely every element of an academic's life.