Research communication

Find out how to promote your research in order to generate interest within and beyond academia and amplify the impact of your work. From science communication (sci-comm) and media outreach to creative cultural exchanges, these resources will help you to identify and communicate key messages to different audiences such as journalists and policymakers. Plus, how to understand different communication tools, build resilience against public opinion and get creative in presenting your findings.

What Frankenstein’s monster can teach researchers about the dark side of ‘impact’

What can a 19th-century novelist tell academics about research ethics? Taking time to see the impact of research on ourselves is a good place to start measuring the social good of scholarly endeavours, writes Jennifer Allsopp

Jennifer Allsopp

University of Birmingham

Microscope focusing light on a group of people

How to engage the public in research

Advice for fostering citizen science and public engagement in research

Campus contributors

Campus

How universities can use research to develop effective digital products

Tips on developing a user-led digital approach at your institution, based on the University of Exeter’s success

Helen Cocks, Amelia Johnson

The University of Exeter

Members of a focus group having a discussion

Steps to take to encourage more support for public engagement in research

By fostering a culture in which public engagement is not just encouraged but embedded into the fabric of academic life, institutions can leave a lasting impact on both the scholarly community and the world at large

Lyn R. Keith

The University of the West Indies

We set up a thought leadership programme to amplify PhD research

Dalhousie's OpenThink programme shows how universities can empower the next generation of thought leaders and facilitate public engagement

Lynne M. Robinson

Dalhousie University

A group of policymakers discussing research

How to facilitate knowledge exchange and build trust with policymakers

Those seeking to create impact with their evidence should be ready to understand how public sector bodies make sense of the value of research, writes Julian Molina

Julian Molina

The University of Bristol

Three people in an office having a discussion

So what? Who cares? The skill of talking about impact

Darcey Gillie explains the importance of talking about impact in higher education and offers practical steps on how to do it

Darcey Gillie

The University of Edinburgh

Image of the red curtains opening at the start of a theatre performance

What’s the story? Creative ways to communicate your research

Early in your academic research, you should ask how you can creatively communicate it to a wide audience. The results may surprise you, says Steven Beschloss

Steven Beschloss

Arizona State University

Tips for sharing your research and professional expertise with consumer media

Academics can offer insight based on research and professional experience that is applicable far beyond the scope of academic journals. Samuel Kim Kwong Kwok shares a guide to engaging with the mainstream consumer media

Samuel Kim Kwong Kwok

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

Campus Talks: How to use social media to promote your work

Two scholars who have embraced social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Twitch and podcasts to communicate their research explain how they got started and what works

Simon Clark, Christina Zdenek

Independent academic, The University of Queensland

Man at laptop with symbols of academia, how to write a successful book proposal

Six tips for writing a successful book proposal

An interesting concept is not enough to guarantee your book will get published. In crafting a pitch, it helps to be succinct and targeted and to show an ability to deliver

Simon Clark

Independent academic

A glossary to explain the terminology associated with research impact work

Demystifying impact: a glossary of key terms

The extensive terminology surrounding research ‘impact’ can be confusing for those new to it. To help, Alex Smith and Laura Tucker have compiled a glossary of the most common terms

Alex Smith, Laura Tucker

Vertigo Ventures

Advice on shaping research around community needs

Directing research to engage and support local communities

How can academics shape their research around key community needs and encourage participation from multidisciplinary faculty, students and local people? Helen Szoor-McElhinney and colleagues offer insight

Helen Szoor-McElhinney, Alette Willis, Liam Gilchrist

The University of Edinburgh

How to use digital communications to speed the spread of ideas and knowledge

Using digital technology to assist the spread of knowledge and ideas about the SDGs

Gisela Loehlein on how digital communications can assist in spreading knowledge and awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, through virtual global events and building connections between experts and institutions all over the world

Gisela Loehlein

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Using digital scholarship for public engagement

Using digital scholarship to enhance public engagement

Having been pushed to the sidelines of academia for too long, public engagement projects can take a central role in digital courses, furthering students’ learning and reaching wider audiences, explains Warren Stanislaus

Warren Stanislaus

Rikkyo University

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