Research Reporting: why it matters and how to do it well

BEFORE WE BEGIN

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RESEARCH REPORTING

why it's important and how to do it well

AS A SCIENTIST

and chances are you're being asked to write

REPORTS

REPORTS

are part of

YOUR JOB.

about YOUR WORK.

exploring IDEAS

finding SOLUTIONS

researching ISSUES

There's a BIG difference between a BAD REPORT and a GOOD REPORT.

YOU'RE doing GREAT WORK

testing PRODUCTS

refining METHODS

developing TOOLS

GOOD REPORTS

BAD REPORTS

and collect

and share YOUR WORK

with many

AUDIENCES

and leave us in the

DARK

BAD reports just get FILED AWAY

or end up in the TRASH

AUDIENCES

SUCH AS:

AUDIENCES

college leadership &

WHO:

local residents

industry reps

students

farmers

consumers

government officials

fund your projects

make decisions about your projects

are impacted by your projects

hold you accountable

taxpayers

fellow scientists

the media

voters

YOU are competing for their

SPOTLIGHT

A GOOD REPORT proves you're WORTH IT

GOOD reports put YOUR WORK in the

...

A GOOD REPORT answers

4 QUESTIONS

What are you

What are the

What's the

What did you

IMPACTS?

DOING?

LEARN?

ISSUE?

So. YOU did GOOD WORK &

YOU wrote a GOOD REPORT

GOOD ANSWERS

to the 4 questions should do the following:

NOW WHAT?

RULES, tips & guidelines

for writing

GOOD REPORTS:

SHARING is

CARING.

make people care

"Uncontrolled mosquitoes can spread diseases, reduce property values, and discourage tourists."

A GOOD REPORT is

well-written

use up-to-date stats

"Ongoing drought has cost the U.S. $35 billion since 2012."

TIMELY & accessible

and can be used in many ways

Your audiences are busy.

They have short attention spans.

They are bombarded with information and misinformation.

They aren't all scientists.

They are all ages.

They come from all kinds of backgrounds.

THEY MATTER.

DESCRIBE

PRESS RELEASES legislative briefings

displays & posters

INTERVIEWS newsletters grant applications social media

MAGAZINE ARTICLES

FOR EXAMPLE

what you're

describe your tools & methods

DOING.

"Physiologists used ultrasound monitors to determine if cows were pregnant and then took blood samples from the cows to measure hormones."

use adjectives

innovative

top-of-the-line

timely

reliable

affordable

new

emphasize innovative techniques & tools used

Reporting is required.

It's your responsibility.

You're the best spokesperson for your work.

It pays off.

REPORTING MATTERS.

"Researchers used advanced 3D body scanners to evaluate the fit of protective clothing on men and women with different body sizes and shapes."

write with an "active" voice

"Ohio State University researchers developed and tested body armor."

"Extension professionals designed better training materials."

do NOT use abbreviations, acronyms, or jargon

discuss outreach efforts

"Researchers organized a summer camp where economically-disadvantaged middle school students learn math and science skills by conducting experiments on rice and soybeans."

connect specific researchers/institutions to specific studies

"University of California researchers used field plots to test new pesticides."

SHARE

what you've

LEARNED.

enumerate outputs

"...released 94 new sweetpotato varieties."

spell out units

acres

dollars per year

milliliters

tons

use visuals to explain results

"In the lab, tests revealed that gummy stem blight is resistant to multiple pesticides. The gummy stem blight samples that are sensitive to these pesticides did not continue to grow."

know what "impact" means

include numbers

condition

condition

behavior

knowledge

Impact =

change in

"Homeowner composting of all grass clippings and tree leaves reduced community landfill tonnage by 5% and extended the useful life of the landfill by 4.5 years, saving $1.5 million."

Researchers developed new wheat varieties that have

• reduced farmers' economic losses due to poor crop yield; [ economic condition]
• increased yields without using chemical pesticides or fertilizers that can pollute surrounding land, water, and air; [ environmental condition]
• ensured a steady, high-quality wheat supply for consumers. [ social condition]

target specific stakeholders

behavior

"Researchers designed body armor that has been adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps. The new gear better protects soldiers from explosives and biological and chemical hazards."

"changed children's eating habits"

"encouraged more homeowner composting"

"farmers adopted better practices/tools"

Prezi created by

knowledge

be explicit about scope/scale

Sara Delheimer

"learned new skills"

"influenced policies"

"advanced the field of animal genomics"

"prepared students for jobs"

"... has stimulated economic growth in the Southeastern U.S."

Impact Writer | National Research Support Project 001

Colorado State University

206 University Square

1311 S. College Ave

Fort Collins, CO 80523-4040

(970) 491-6564

sara.delheimer@colostate.edu

On Twitter @MRFImpacts

connect to hot topics, buzz words & catch phrases

global warming

climate change

sustainability

alternative energy

local food

food deserts

cancer

obesity

use anecdotes

think about potential impacts & future generations

"After listening to the researchers' radio program, a farmer was able to successfully identify a rabid cow and seek life-saving treatment for herself."

don't ignore the small stuff

extrapolate data

small changes are still impacts

"If newly developed sweetpotato varieties are released to farmers, they could be planted across tens of thousands of acres with an estimated end value of $35 million."

"After following pest control recommendations, one farmer reported a 10% increase in yields."