Research Impact is defined by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (2014) as “an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia’’. Public engagement and communication with a non-specialist audience is an important pathway to impact. This document describes approaches that all researchers can take to make research relatable to a non-academic audience.

1. H o w t o c o m m u n i c a t e f o r
r e s e a r c h i m p a c t

3. Research impact

4. Impact is……
• “…an effect on, change or benefit
to the economy, society, culture,
public policy or services, health,
the environment or quality of life,
beyond academia”.
HEFCE (2014)

5. Public engagement

6. AHRC & BBC

7. Political Studies Association

8. Three minute thesis

9. Local Initiatives
• FameLab (Science Communication)
• Café Scientifique Belfast
• Northern Ireland Science Festival
• Film Festivals, fashion shows, music
festivals, business conferences - Digital
DNA, literary festivals …….

10. WE’RE
ALL
IN
SALES
NOW!

12. Non-sales selling
24
minutes
n = 7,000

13. Why?

14. • 3,000 branded messages per day
• Notice 80
• React to 10 Neilson (2012)

15. AUDIENCE

16. National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement
http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/

17. Your researchYour researchYour research
Your
research 1.
Stakeholders
2.
Influencers
3.
End-­‐users/beneficiaries
A
U
D
I
E
N
C
E
S

18. The Competition!

20. MAKING
IT
INTERESTING

21. Describing your research
• C – Explain the context. Set the scene.
• R - Briefly describe the purpose of your
research
• O - State the outcome or expected result
• W - Why does your audience care?
Conclude with a takeaway

22. 3MT examples
3MT
Zaid
Janjua
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4oFusq
ANts
3MT
Chioma Paul
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=HsxKOrSv30s

23. Rhetorical Theory
1. Speaker
2. Speech
3. Audience

24. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

25. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

27. The Curse of Knowledge

28. Maladaptive
responses to
external
stimuli
Help—
seeking
behaviours
New framework for
planning economic
activity

30. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

31. Unexpected
• Interesting fact?
• Challenge preconceptions
• Use language to stand out
• Make a case

32. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

33. Credible
• Why should we believe you?

34. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

35. Language to shed light
James Geary: Analogy and metaphor

36. Michelle Obama
You can hashtag all over Instagram and Twitter, but those social
media movements will disappear faster than a Snapchat if
you're not also registered to vote … In the 2014 midterms,
African-American youth turnout was less than 20 percent. And
here in Mississippi it was almost lower … So we've got to stand
side by side with all our neighbors

37. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

38. How do you make them feel?

40. SUCCES criteria
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Credible
• Concrete
• Emotional
• Stories

41. THINGS
TO
WATCH
OUT
FOR

42. Dr. Inger Mewburn
Director of research training
The Australian National University

43. Top 3MT problems
1. Too technical
2. Too simple
3. Not structured
4. Delivery - weird body language
5. Mumbling

44. Number one problem we see
• Too abstract – assume too much
knowledge on the part of the audience

45. PRESENTING
ON
CAMERA

46. Warmth Competence
How we judge others

47. Non verbal communication

48. What to wear

49. Strobing!

50. Make up

52. @ b e s p o k e _ c o m m s
b e s p o k e c o m m s