Guidance for Communicating to a Broad Audience
- The Behavioral Scientist’s The Mechanics of Clarity – Slides 1 – General clarity and effective writing tips
- The Behavioral Scientist’s Starting Well – Slides 3 – Persuasive writing tips, start to finish
- Writing to Persuade Interview: Insights from Former New York Times Op-Ed Editor Trish Hall When to Use Concrete vs. Abstract Language by Jonah Berger
Write and Place an Op-Ed
Op-eds can reach stakeholders and policymakers, direct attention to relevant research, reframe a narrative in the media, produce shareable content, and build a public brand. For your op-ed to fulfill one of these purposes, first consider the central message of your piece and determine the right audience for the topic of the discussion.
Craft a timely hook; the hook does not have to be timely at the present moment, so consider addressing future exigencies, such as an upcoming Supreme Court decision. Incorporate narratives and personal stories to establish your credibility beyond the academic realm and make the op-ed’s content interesting to lay audiences.
Fill your op-ed with punchy language and powerful topic sentences and utilize embedded links to provide your audience with additional information; avoid dense jargon and in-text citations. Your op-ed is most effective if it is around 750 words.
Check out the Scholar’s Strategy Network’s Best Practices for Writing Compelling Op-Eds for further information on how to use your opinions to generate action.
Op-Ed Resources
- The Washington Post guide to writing an op-ed
- Psychgeist: A membership organization dedicated to building a community of scholars interested in communicating their science with the public.
- MIT Communication Lab Op-Ed Writing Guide
- NASEM Op-Ed Writing Guidelines
- Additional resources, advice, and examples from the Op-Ed Project
- The Conversation: “Academic rigor, journalistic flair”
- Social Science Space – From SAGE publishing, blogs and discussions from key players in social science.
Guides for Proposing to Outlets
- Tips for picking your outlet/target audience: Aligning Ideas with Outlets led by Evan Nesterak, Plus the Art of Pitching with Dave Nussbaum – Slides 2
- Aligning ideas with outlets worksheet
- How to Successfully Pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else) – Simple and sweet explanations of the Dos and Don’ts of being concise and fitting what outlets look for.
Outlets
- Behavioral Scientist
- Psychgeist: A membership organization dedicated to building a community of scholars interested in communicating their science with the public
- The Conversation: “Academic rigor, journalistic flair”
- Social Sciences Space
Raise the Profile of Behavioral Sciences on Campus
If you are a scholar seeking to elevate the sciences of the mind, brain, and behavior, discovering opportunities for collaboration is crucial. Work proactively to facilitate communication between researchers and university colleagues focused on public engagement, such as university government affairs faculty or offices of research and community relations.
It is important to know the role each office plays and where they may or may not be able to help. Organize “speed dating” events to connect researchers and policymakers, enabling two groups who may not otherwise cross paths to connect with brief discussions. Regularly meet with prospective hires to direct attention to the research agendas of departments and demonstrate university commitment to, and interest in, psychological sciences on campus.
