The tools of research communication

Fiona Shearer PhD, Massey University

Degarrod (2008)
Geographies of the imagination
http://nakashimadegarrod.com/

Workshop outline

Introductions
Powerful symbols and language
Creating messages and staying on message
Methods: Visual, performative, written,
audio, online
Publicity
Dialogue
Communication Evaluation

When you're drowning you don't think, I would

be incredibly pleased if someone would notice
I'm drowning and come and rescue me. You just
scream.
John Lennon

Powerful symbols and language

Contested nature of language, symbols, ideas
Any words/terms/ideas/symbols in your
research that might be

appealing for your audience(s)

antagonistic to your audience(s)
mean something different to your audience(s)
meaningless to your audience(s)

Powerful symbols and language

Maths?
Mark Blyth, Professor of
Political Science, Brown
University, U.S.
What are your responses to
Mark Blyth?
Do you agree with his
comments on communicating
research?
What is it that he wants to
achieve in communicating his
research?

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci
alsciences/2013/08/01/impactinterviews-mark-blyth/

Always making friends?

Are there common messages and arguments
you want to dispute?
Are there common messages that you want to
agree with/add more to?

Creating key messages

Who are your audiences?
What are the key messages for each of these
audiences? (One or two sentences/images for
each)?
Ideas - how will you communicate this what
methods/channels will you use?

My key messages to participants

I will carry this research out ethically
I need you to tell me what your needs are
There may be times we disagree, but I want
to work this through

Staying on message
When we stay on message, we communicate exactly
what we want our audience to know. We create
harmony between our words, visuals and actions and
we deliver a clear, powerful and irresistible call to
action Celia Arlario, UC Santa Barbara

Acknowledge the question/perspective

Build a bridge from their question/perspective to your
message

Communicate your message

(Adapted from Arlario, 2014)

Methods: Exhibitions, performance,

visual and oral media
Film - Sturgis 2.0
(Gieseler, 2012)
Rap symposium
(Mandell & Liebler,
2012)

Methods: Briefs, reports, booklets

From Voices Tilley et al. (2007)

Policy brief
suggestions for
outline - Introduction,
evidence and analysis,
policy implications
and
recommendations,
research parameters,
project identity

Methods: Online
**** Blogs ***** Twitter/websites/links
Podcasting *****Open Access

www.eSocSci.com
What do I want to achieve? Who is my
audience? What are my key messages?
Submit a
research report,
resource,
contribute to a
forum

Research communication plan

Publicity
Presence online research profiles, academia
edu, etc.
Up-to-date contacts and networks list
Practicing talking about research

Always remembering resources

Dialogue
So what happens when communication starts
working?
What do we do with responses and feedback?
Keeping a log
Re-assessing goals, objectives, next step of
research

Communication evaluation
How will I know if I have done what I have set
out to do?
Refer to your objectives
Do informal formative and summative
evaluation
Keep a diary/powerpoint/pressie/drawings to
see how your communication has
changed/progressed and review these
regularly

What next?
What has been most helpful in this
workshop?
What do you want to action first?

Workshop summary
Symbols and language created messages for
particular audiences
Discussed useful methods Visual, performance, written, audio, online
Put our thoughts into practice online
contribution/communication plan
Publicity
Dialogue
Communication evaluation

More information and feedback

Contact Fiona for more discussion on Communicating
Research or to offer feedback about this workshop
Fiona Shearer
f.shearer@massey.ac.nz
04 801 5799 ext. 62454
Angelique Praat (Senior Advisor) eSocSci
a.praat@massey.ac.nz
04 801 5799 ext. 62177

References
Arlario, C. (2014) Stay on message. Retrieved from
http://beautifultrouble.org/principle/stay-on-message/
Degarrod, L.N. (2012). Geographies of the imagination: Engaging Audiences and
participants in collaborative interdisciplinary gallery installations. In P. Vannini
(Ed.), Popularizing research (pp. 74-82). New York: Peter Lang.
Gieseler, C. (2012). Sturgis 2.0: Crafting a filmic-web dialogue. In P. Vannini (Ed.),
Popularizing research (pp. 25-32). New York: Peter Lang.
Mandell, H. & Liebler, C.M. (2012). Music of the streets: Bringing local rappers to
the ivory tower. In P. Vannini (Ed.), Popularizing research (pp. 89-94). New York:
Peter Lang.
Mewburn, I. & Thomson, P. (2013). Why do academics blog? An analysis of
audiences, purposes and challenges. Studies in Higher Education, 38(8). 11051119.
Tilley, E., Sligo, F., Shearer, F., Comrie, M., Murray, N., Franklin, J., Vaccarino, F., &
Watson, B. (2007). Voices: First-hand experiences of adult literacy learning and
employment in Wanganui. Department of Communication and Journalism,
Massey University, New Zealand.

Additional resources
esocsci.org.nz
http://www.communityresearch.org.nz/
Open Access http://creativecommons.org.nz/
Blogging http://irevolution.net/2012/05/09/advice-to-future-phds/
http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2013/02/18/going-solo-or-joiningsomeone-elses-show/
http://patthomson.wordpress.com/blogging-paper-in-progress/
Podcasting - http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2013/02/15/simple-guide-toacademic-podcasting/
Communication planning and media relations
Johnston, J., (2013). Media relations and strategies. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Mersham, G., Theumissen, P., Peart, J. (2009). Public relations and communication
management : an Aotearoa/New Zealand perspective. Auckland, N.Z: Pearson.
Ryan, M.D. (2012). Tips for generating a media release and media coverage: How the
media ate up my research on Aussie horror movies. In P. Vannini (Ed.). Popularizing
research. New York: Peter Lang.

More resources contd

European Commission. (2010). Communicating research for evidence-based
policy-making: A practical guide for researchers in socio-economic sciences
and humanities. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/research/socialsciences/pdf/guide-communicating-research_en.pdf