Communication Workshop: Oral and written communication
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This document provides guidance on effective written communication. It discusses characteristics of good documents such as being concise, structured, clear and grammatically correct. It also offers tips for writing documents such as knowing the purpose and audience. Specific types of documents are covered like news articles, policy briefs and presentations. Effective writing techniques are discussed like avoiding wordiness and using simple language over complex words and jargon. The document provides examples and references additional resources on science writing and communication.
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Communication Workshop: Oral and written communication
- 1. Communicating the message Written and verbal communication Communication Workshop
- 2. Characteristics of effective documents • Consistent • Readable • Concise • Relevant • Structured • Well presented • Clear • Grammatically correct • Informative • Easily available • Interesting • Summary points • Attractive
- 3. Writing a document • Know the following: – What type of document? – What is the purpose? – Who is the audience? – What is your message? • Plan the content • Revise!! Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
- 4. Eliminating wordiness • Waffle words – Generally speaking, writers can basically rely in the main on certain fundamental techniques to structure their text – Generally speaking, writers can basically rely in the main on certain fundamental techniques to structure their text – Writers can rely on fundamental techniques to structure their text Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
- 5. Eliminating wordiness • Repeated meanings – The end result was shorter in length than we had hoped, but we plan to increase the text in the future. Our writing methods and techniques enabled us to achieve our aims and objectives – The end result was shorter in length than we had hoped, but we plan to increase the text in the future. Our writing methods and techniques enabled us to achieve our aims and objectives – The result was shorter than we had hoped, but we plan to increase the text. Our writing methods enabled us to achieve our aims Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
- 6. Complex words and jargon • Complex words – Use familiar words (keep it plain not posh!) • Jargon: be careful when... – Assigning precise/specific meaning to words that others may interpret differently – Using expressions that aren’t used in everyday speech – might need to define them Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
- 7. Report writing • Reporting of health statistics from service data: Country best practices (WHO 2007) – Present statistics in different forms – Use graphs, diagrams and tables – but include explanatory notes – Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the data • Improving data quality: A guide for developing countries (WHO 2003) – Improving the quality of statistical and public health reports
- 8. News articles and editorials • Good way of getting information to the general public • News items – Recent events • Feature articles – Longer – Analyses subject areas • Commentaries – Opinion pieces, columns, editorials, letters
- 9. Inverted pyramid writing Very important Somewhat Less
- 10. Telling a story
- 11. Newsletters, brochures and leaflets • External or internal audiences • Like a ‘shop window’ • What to include? – Digest – Progress – Reports – Goals – Plans – Tips – Links – People – Graphics – Features • Brochures and leaflets • Focus on single issue, product, service • Content similar to a policy brief
- 12. Poster presentations • Summarises work in easy, captivating ‘nuggets’ • Like an advertisement • Inspires desire for more information • Compelling research/evidence • Colourful design • Better than giving a talk – Works when you aren’t there – Can be used many times
- 13. Policy briefs • Identify a problem • Show evidence that informs policy on the matter • Propose solutions • Present a recommendation • Move the reader from problems to possibilities to policies • ‘Corn-flakes’ test
- 14. Components 1. Title 2. Summary 3. Statement of the problem 4. Background and/or context to problem 5. Pre-existing policies 6. Policy options 7. Critique of policy options 8. Policy recommendations
- 15. Group work 50 minutes • Based on analysis of annual health bulletin • Use the data to create a policy brief – Advocate for additional resources/interventions for a specific health issue – Advocate for additional resources to improve HIS/reporting (such as the bulletin) • 30 minutes to develop • 20 minutes to present back
- 17. The ‘three message’ speech Source: Knowledge Translation Toolkit, pg 169
Editor's Notes
- Knowledge transferTaking what you know and putting it where it will serve a practical purposeNeed some sort of media to do thisWrittenVerbal (because it doesn’t just end with writing something)!
- Points refer to those already covered with the communication strategyContent what information needs to be included write down the main headings organise the content into a logical order think about what material could be moved to an appendix
- Waffle or weak words don’t provide content and they disrupt the flow of the sentenceStart with an ok sentence (not too long, but doesn’t flow that well)Remove a few words that aren’t neededEnd up with a short, clear sentenceReading out loud – key technique
- Think about if you are saying the same thing twiceRepeated meanings are an unnecessary form of wordinessPaired words can be a hazard – aims/objectives; methods/techniques (are they different?)BIOTEXT handoutSubstitutes for wordy phrases
- Statistical significanceFramework/stakeholder
- Refer to references – saved on USBElements of a good table/graph
- keep sentences short and simple keep paragraphs short don’t ramble avoid jargon use active verbs use quotesSame applies for websitesEXAMPLE of breast cancer report
- Opposite to how we write in scientific communication – hypothesis, methods, results, conclusionStart with findings and implications then talk about methods/science laterNeed to ‘grab’ the audienceUp first: essentials of the story six ‘w’: who, what, why, when, where, and how supporting information in order of importanceWhy write this way? people skim read for importance more likely to read first paragraph and then move on need to have key message up first
- External or internal – NOT bothInternal: inform and motivate staff; build and maintain organisation’s cultureExternal: increase visibility of an organisation; more formal
- Delivery – who should the brief be given to, and how will it get to their desk?Handout of good example to work through
- [continuation from group work earlier in the day]If people get time – one paragraph media releasePage 190 – KT toolkit
- ConferencesCould also set-up monthly staff meetings with 10 minutes to present and discussAusAID ‘lunch box’ sessionsImportant pointsAverage adult attention span 20 minutesNobody interested in knowing everything you didFew will say ‘I wish that went on for longer’At conferences, people see 20-30 presentations, any excuse to stop listening – they will take
- Speech should be an ‘appetizer’ Impress the importance of an issue, sell a core idea Point people to where they can find more information Speech is NOT a PowerPoint (come back to this later) Three take-home messages Tell them what the three messages are Show them what the messages are with detail Remind them about the messages Ask them for questions
- Help animate a speechText can be used – brief bullet points Never distribute print-outs in advance: people will read and not listen Never read the text on screen – people read faster than you can speak; useless Never depend on the technology – what is your backup