G108
SCIENCE WRITING:
WRITING EFFECTIVELY ABOUT
SCIENCE AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

You need to communicate science or social science information to the public, whether your audience is policy-makers who need to be aware of current data or knowledge, citizens concerned about the effects of new technologies or policies, or young people with an innate sense of wonder. How do you communicate evidence-based programs, policies or research in a way that your target audience can understand, appreciate and act on?

You may be writing:

• a plain-language summary
• a media release about new results
• an explanation of an evidence-based program or policy for the public
• a backgrounder for policy-makers on methodology
• your research objectives
• a briefing note or a memorandum
• a deck or a presentation

Whatever the medium and the message, you need to write effectively about science, evidence and data.

Effective writing situates readers in context to help them understand where the information fits in a broader context. How do these results affect people? How will the policy change the way things are done? It relates often abstract or complex concepts to the real world. And it uses a writing toolbox to convey ideas through metaphor, analogy, visual images, and even humour.

Participants will learn to assess the audience targeted in a communication. They will understand the format of a public summary, media release, and article, and how these differ from scientific or technical communications such as journal articles and abstracts. They will be able to explain scientific or social science concepts in everyday language, and bring ideas to life using the tools of prose. They will situate technical problems in a social context. By the end of the day, participants should be able to craft a clear and explanatory document for the public.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

• Who you are explaining your research to — what are their needs?
• How (in what format) do you need to explain the results, policy, or program — plain-language summary? Media release? Briefing Note? Web page? Article for a research bulletin? What are the requirements for these formats?
• The “elevator pitch” — explaining briefly yet accurately
• Defining terms and concepts
• Explaining context
• Explaining potential applications or implications
• Explaining why and how using metaphors, analogies, visual imagery

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

• Writing toolbox of methods to communicate about science and social science
• Completed document about a scientific or social science issue or project
• Confidence to explain research to various publics

Agenda
8:45 - 9:15	Introductions and Workshop Overview
9:15 - 10:30	Why Communicate Science or Social Science to the Public? Reasons for writing about science or social science Audiences: who they are, differences among them, targeting an audience Implications for writing: vocabulary, sentence structure and length, grade level Communicating clearly and concisely: the elevator pitch Exercise: choose a current science or social science topic that you wish to write about and make the elevator pitch
10:30 - 10:45	Break
10:45 - 12:00	Formats of Written Communication Various formats and how they are structured Differences between traditional scientific communications (journal articles, abstracts) and public communications (summaries, media releases, articles) Exercise: choose a format and outline how the selected topic would fit this format Research in Context Explaining how the topic fits: why is the research being done or policy or program being put in place? How will it help? Does it have applications? Does it help us understand something? How will it be used? Exercise: explain the context for the selected topic
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 2:30	Writing Toolbox Definitions: explaining terms and concepts Metaphors: in addition to explaining what it is, explain what it is like Analogy: comparing to a similar process or concept the public can understand Visual imagery: describing how things happen visually; using diagrams and graphs Language level: plain-language guides, testing vocabulary, grade level checkers Active voice Sentence and paragraph structure and length Exercise: use each of these tools to write about the selected topic
2:30 - 2:45	Break
2:45 - 4:20	Putting it All Together Write a first draft of the selected public communication about the science or social science topic Presentation and feedback
4:20 - 4:30	Wrap-up and Workshop Evaluation