Communicating your research to non-academics

Introduction

Key terms: communication skills, science communication, societal impact, introductory course, relevant for students in any PhD phase.

ECTS: 1.5
Number of session: 2
Hours per session: 4

Researchers often generate valuable insights and findings. However, academic output is often inaccessible to non-academic audiences, such as community organizations, journalists, and policymakers. Scientific reports are typically difficult to access, filled with complex language, and, let's face it, not the most exciting read. This course aims to address these challenges by teaching how to communicate your research in an engaging and accessible way to non-academic audiences.
 

Entry level and relevance

This is an introductory course. It is designed for people who have no or limited experience with communicating their research to non-academic audiences. No prior knowledge or skills are required. 

The course is useful for researchers in all phases of their PhD trajectory. However, it is most relevant if you have a draft version of a paper (empirical, review, theoretical, etc.) from which you can draw implications for society.

Relations with other courses

There are no distinct relations and no significant overlap between this course and other courses offered by the EGSH.

Sessions and preparations

Session 1: Introduction to science communication and defining your audience
In this first session, you will learn about the importance of science communication. Through interactive assignments you will define your target audience: who do you want to reach with your science communication? We also introduce you to Bitescience, a science communication platform developed by EUR researchers.
Preparations: Take a look at the Bitescience.com website.

Session 2: Writing a blog using the Bitescience approach
In this session, you will acquire skills in formulating your research findings in layman's terms and presenting it in bite-sized chunks. By the end of the session, you will have the ability to create a blog that effectively captures the essence of your research, making it accessible and engaging to a non-academic audience.
Preparations: Prepare the writing of a blog.