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Taking research beyond researchers
Before session, academics to:
* Think about story ideas, using worksheet provided
* Catch up on the news, by radio, TV, papers or internet
09:30–10:30 Presentation: how to write for a public audience
* Why bother communicating research to the public?
* What is TC, origins and aims
* What does writing for TC involve?
* What TC does and why
* Why TC rather than another outlet?
* Tips on style, tone and structure
* The ‘banned list’: jargon and academic-ese (examples)
* Who is TC’s audience and how to aim articles at them
* The journalistic rather than academic approach
* Identifying an angle – what’s new?
* How to pitch – examples of good and bad
* Examples of different approaches:
o A piece about the academic’s own research
o A response to someone else’s research
o A listicle (“Top five…”, “Ten most…”)
o Something irreverent/entertaining/unusual
Outcomes:
* Gain familiarity of the aims, structure, way of working and benefits of TC
* Learn to consider what elements of research and expertise could interest the public, and how to communicate it
* Understand the style, tone and structure of articles written for the public
10:30–10:45 Chat/Q&A
Outcome:
Opportunity for questions and clarifications
10:45–11:15 Applying academic expertise to the news
* Editor distributes daily papers (brought by editor)
* Academics go through papers looking for stories in their field of expertise, or stories to which they could apply their expertise
* Discuss how to approach this
Outcome:
* Seeing academics as experts in their field, not just tied to their specific research projects
11:15–11:35 Break
11:35–11:45 Site demonstration
* Editor takes attendees through the The Conversation online editor
* How article editing works, preview and history record
* Demonstrate “traffic light” readability system
* Note approve button and disclosure statement
* Show dashboard and article readership metrics
Outcome:
* Become familiar with how to navigate the site editor and how to use metrics to track engagement
11:45–11:55 Dealing with comments and conversation
* The TC commenting system
* Why bother? Tips for joining in
* Dealing with trolls
* Moderation and reporting
Outcome:
* Understand TC comments and role of moderators, feel more confident in ‘below the line’ discussion
11:55–12:35 Exercise
* Based on worksheet academics have brought with them, discuss ideas for articles (allowing time for those without)
* Each academic (or in teams of 3-4 if large group) pick one to develop. Write an opening paragraph and summary.
* Discuss with group why topic is interesting to a non-specialist audience, or how to make it so.
* Write a pitch for the article.
Outcome:
* Identify good ideas to hone into stories, and how to put them across
12:35–12:45 Final chat/Q&A
Date:
18 April 2018, 9:30
Venue:
Radcliffe Humanities, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details:
Colin Matthew Room
Speaker:
Miriam Frankel (Science Editor, The Conversation)
Organising department:
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
Organiser:
Dan Richards-Doran (University of Oxford, Primary Care Health Sciences)
Organiser contact email address:
dan.richards-doran@phc.ox.ac.uk
Booking required?:
Required
Booking url:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taking-research-beyond-researchers-tickets-44137552608
Booking email:
dan.richards-doran@phc.ox.ac.uk
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editors:
Dan Richards-Doran,
Jessy Morton
