An overview for University of Bath students on the rudiments of communicating research to a policy audience, including via the media.

1. Communicating research for policy
Andy Dunne
Research Marketing Manager / University of Bath

2. By the end of this you’ll have
An understanding of how to plan, structure, write and communicate a
policy brief, through:
Defining Audiences and Communications
Channels to reach them
Dissecting what is, and
what makes up, a
policy brief
Promoting a policy brief in the
media through a press release
…Preparing for interviews

3. … but first, what is ‘Research Marketing’?

4. Communicating research to policy-makers at
the University
‘Impact’

6. Audiences & Communication Channels
Industry
Universities
Businesses
CharitiesAssociations
Banks
Pressure groups
‘Stakeholders’
Indirect via Media
Direct
Other political parties
Campaigners
Ministers and
Government
Departments
Could include: Could include:
Think tanks
Local
government
NGOs / Multinationals
‘Channels’

7. Who is the actor, who is the audience?
Who is proposing this? Why?
Who would be affected, involved
or interested in this?
What does the ‘policy actor’ want?

8. What’s Jamie’s role and why does it matter?

9. Constructing a policy brief
Policy makers are busy people facing
multiple policy challenges.
To get their attention you need to write
something that is:
• Short – over no more than 3 pages.
• Concise in its message with obvious
policy recommendations.
• Mindful of the wider political context
• Backed up by evidence.

10. 8 steps to structure your policy brief
1) Title - snappy, short, informative and interesting.
2) Executive Summary - two to three sentences summing up the entire brief. Use recognisable buzzwords
and emphasise the relevance of the research to policy to draw the policy actor’s attention to read on.
3) Intro / Summary of the Problem - explain the policy issue and why it is particularly important or
current. Put the research into context.
4) Results – A policy actor wants to see robust results that are repeatable or corroborated by others. Present
the research/project findings in an accessible way for a non-specialist. Explain the methodology used to reach
the results, such as a synthesis of existing research/literature or new research data.
5) Conclusions - reinforce the key message to take away from the policy brief. Remember the executive
summary is where typical conclusion content is, do not simply repeat it.
6) Policy Recommendations - try and make only one feasible policy recommendation. If you are making
more than one recommendation, differentiate them clearly e.g. in bullet points and keep it to three
maximum.
7) References and Suggested Sources - suggest a few additional sources at the end to give either
background or more detail to the policy issue. Use references sparingly within the brief.
8) Acknowledgements and Disclaimers - detail funding used for the research.
Over no more than 700 words you should include:

11. Communicating your policy brief to media
Journalists, like politicians, are busy people
reacting to breaking news, investigating
stories and picking up multiple press releases:
To get their attention you need to write something:
• Short, clear and to the point. What is the story?
• That explains why this matter is important to
people’s lives. Why would readers, listeners or
viewers care?

12. The inverted Pyramid of News
Academic paper
Carrier Lifetime in Exfoliated Few-Layer Graphene
Determined from Intersubband Optical Transitions
= Press release
“Miracle material graphene
could deliver internet one
hundred times faster!”

13. 6 steps to writing a good press release
1) A headline – ideally a killer headline that catches a journalist’s attention and is also accurate
2) A top line – in the first paragraph you need to summarise everything and why it’s important today.
3) Short paragraphs – Write paragraphs of 2-3 sentences, no more.
4) Avoid jargon – Write in plain English and in an active, not passive, voice.
5) Hard numbers – journalists like numbers and statistics. Include trends. Explain policy issues by numbers.
6) A quote – include a quote from the spokesperson for the story (e.g. Government Minister, Chief Executive).
Make the quote interesting!
+ include contact information for people wishing to arrange an interview with the spokesperson or requesting
further information.
Over no more than 1 page of A4 (300 – 400 words) you should include:

14. The importance of being briefed
Whoever is being interviewed whether for print, radio or TV
make sure they know:
• What the story is, and what the story isn’t
• Normally 3 key messages: What is being
proposed? Why is it being proposed? How
will it be enacted?
They should also prepare answers in response to potential
challenges:
• Likely criticisms of the plan?
• How much will it cost?
• Why wasn’t this done before?
• Charges of mixed messages?
And be aware of how different media will react to the story

15. Why preparation matters when
announcing policies…

16. And tweet any questions or comments
@andrewjdunne or @JessFrancombe
1. Watch Prime Minister’s Question Time at 12pm on Wednesday
2. Listen to Radio 4’s Today Programme
and its 8.10am interview.
3. Follow @uniofbath / @uniofbathipr / @PCSBath
3 useful things to do now