The Guide to Communicating Research: For Researchers and Research Communicators

“I will be encouraging budding and seasoned researchers to read and apply this book to communicate complex information in a format that can be used to engage with their target audiences. A must buy and keep!” Robyn Hayes Badenhorst, Head of Group Strategy for the Wits Health Consortium (Pty) Ltd and Head of Supporting Health Initiatives a division of Wits Health Consortium (Pty) Ltd, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa “Invaluable insights into how to distill, describe and disseminate research to target audiences.” John Vance, U.S. Senior Foreign Service (retired) Who is this guide for? This guide aims to give people working in research, the evaluation of research or research communication the practical tools they need to bring research findings to life to create positive change in society. It’s written with the following people in mind: academics, researchers, evaluation managers, impact, communication and public relations (PR) officers, public affairs professionals, evidence producers, government researchers and knowledge mobilisation experts. It is for people who: Produce research, whether as part of an academic institution or other research-producing organisation, such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), think-tanks, local and national government, and businesses. Summarise existing research in position papers or policy briefings, working in policy, government or public affairs. Evaluate research and need to share the findings of those evaluations within their teams and to outside stakeholders. Communicate and promote research findings to a wide range of audiences. What can this guide do for you? This guide takes an all-encompassing approach to research communication by: Showing you how to incorporate concrete communication activities in all the stages of the research process, from early development as a proposal through to dissemination. Taking you through every stage of the process towards creating a communication plan using seven building blocks, presented here as a repeatable process to go through for each research phase. Giving you step-by-step guidance to produce four effective formats of research communication. Offering practical and actionable tips, drawn from experience working with a diverse array of academic and other organisations, on how to communicate research in the most engaging and accessible way (referred to in this book as ‘Golden Tips’). Illustrating, through real-life case studies, research communication in action, showing you the impact that visual communication of research can have in the real world. This guide will help you: Understand what research communication is. Consider the benefits and challenges involved with research communication. Learn about the four phases of a typical research project and what communication may look like for each of them, with concrete examples and tips. Create a comprehensive communication plan for each phase of the research project to get clarity on what you want to achieve and be organised in doing so. Produce accessible visual documents related to the research, aligned with your communication goals.