Research Communications

1. Research Communications Caroline Cassidy

2. How to communicate impact evaluations…

3. A short clip to watch http://blip.tv/ictkm-program/how-science-can-not-only-predict-but-also-mitigate-the-effects-of-natural-disasters-4114862

4. Communication channels

5. Brainstorm: Communications channels • Make a list of different formats and outputs you could use for communication of research within your assigned channel(publications, media, events, online) • For each format or output, try to identify: • Which audience it best serves? • When it may be best to use it within a research process? • Any costs or resourcing? 10 mins in your groups

6. Policy briefs:A research communication tool

7. Evaluating policy briefs Exercise 1

8. Evaluating policy briefs • Each group has a Policy Brief. DON’T LOOK YET! • When we say ‘GO’, you will have THREE MINUTESto read through the policy brief (you may want to take notes) • And then hide the Policy Brief again…

9. Evaluating policy briefs • In your groups, note down the answers to the following questions - you have 5 minutes and no peeping at the briefs!: • What issue is the policy brief aiming to change, validate or inform? • Who do you think is the audience for this brief? • What recommendations are made? • Is there any specific piece of evidence that sticks out in your mind? • Each group will have two minutes to present your answers

10. Experience sharing

11. So what is a policy brief?

12. What is a policy brief? A concise, standalone document that focuses on a particular issue requiring policy attention: • Explains and conveys the urgency of an issue • Presents policy recommendations or implications • Gives evidence to support these recommendations • Points the reader to additional resources

13. What is a policy brief? • Policy Briefs are the most popular form of publication in think tanks. Why? Because they can help bring together the research and policy communities Source: CIPPEC and GDN’s Comparative study of policy research institutes in developing countries

14. Policy briefs as one part of your communications strategy • Timing is important • Where does your policy brief sit alongside other activities in your strategy? Source: Jones and Walsh (2008), Policy briefs as a communication tool for development research.

15. A tool within communications activities • Policy Briefs are one of many communications tools Source: CIPPEC and GDN’s Comparative Analysis of think tanks in Asia, Africa and Latin America

16. Types of policy briefs The type of policy brief depends on: • the objectives and messages of the research • the specific context within which your research takes place • the audience identified • the author(s) • other communications activities that are being planned alongside your policy brief

17. Different types of policy brief • Policy Briefs as a memo • Policy Briefs as a publication – print and/or online • Policy Briefs as a marketing tool / hand out • Policy Briefs as a targeted research summary • Policy brief as part of a presentation

18. Types of policy briefs • Often internally focused • Demand-driven • Narrow audience • A general overview of the subject showing multiple opinions or view points • Might give multiple, and even competing, solutions • Externally focused • Supply-driven • Often broad audience • Targeted research summary that supports a main argument • Gives strong, clear and coordinated policy recommendations or implications • Often used as a marketing tool

19. Planning your policy brief

20. Considering the objective(s)

21. Cabinet Donors Policy Formulation Parliament Agenda Setting Decision Making Civil Society Ministries Monitoring and Evaluation Policy Implementation Private Sector Context-driven

22. The shoes of your audience

23. Audience-driven • Who is your brief aimed at? • Does the audience know you? • How much does your target audience know about the issue? • How do they perceive the issue? • What questions do they need answers to? • How open are they to your message(s)?

24. Audience-driven Policy-makers views: • Do present evidence-informed opinions • Don’t shy away from opinion and value judgements • But signpost which content is subjective and which is objective

25. Considering the authors • Contextualise your evidence within existing research • Consider institutional factors • What are our areas of credibility? • The writers • The organisation

26. What does an effective policy brief look like?

27. Structure and content • Potential sections of a policy brief: • Title • Executive Summary • Introduction (10-15%) • Background and methodology (10-15%) • Results or policy options (30%) • Implications or recommendations (30%) • References and useful resources (10%) REMEMBER: Policy briefs are two, four or a maximum of eight pages in length (approx. 1,200, 2,500 or 4,000 words)

28. Examples

29. Starting off…

30. 1. Title • You might like to come back to this at the end! • Keep it punchy – NOT TOO LONG • Include all key words for online search • And a standfirst • Example: Rising food prices: A global crisis Action needed now to avert poverty and hunger

31. 2. Executive summary • This policy brief outlines actions the Tunisian government can take to reduce the remaining barriers to entry, exit and competition in the Tunisian manufacturing industries, with the aim of stimulating a greater dynamism and flexibility than the market has yet to achieve. It concludes that policies should be considered to: •   Work with Statistics bureaus to develop and collect information on entry and exit and other indicators of firm dynamics. • Reduce entry barriers by developing market access and increasing the access of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to financial resources. • ‘Entry and Exit Dynamics and Economic Performance in Tunisian Manufacturing Industries’, University of Tunis 2009 • Designed to give an overview of the content of the brief • Should contain ALL standard elements of a policy brief • Emphasis on capturing the attention of the reader • Appears on the first page • Usually written last

32. Designed to capture the attention of the reader Explains the importance/ urgency of the issue Creates curiosity about the rest of the brief Gives a brief overview of the conclusions or the direction of the rest of the brief Outlines the structure for the rest of the brief 3. Introduction The increased fear of a pandemic at the current time is due to the fact that the H5N1 strain causing the outbreak is capable of mutating rapidly and acquiring genes from viruses infecting other animal species, including humans. If the new virus contained sufficient human influenza virus genes, direct transmission from one person to another (human-to-human) could occur, heralding a possible influenza pandemic. The current H5N1 strain causes high mortality among humans, with mortality rates exceeding 50 per cent in most countries. AN EFFECTIVE REGIONAL RESPONSE TO THE THREAT OF A PANDEMIC UN ESCAP Issue N.1 2005

33. The substance….

34. Designed as an overview of the findings/ facts Constructed around the line(s) of argument behind the policy recommendations Move between general and specific information Base conclusions on evidence, data and findings Make clear, balanced and defensible assertions 4. Results & conclusions Do The Electric Fences Work? Overall, it was found that although the electric fencing does help…it is not capable of completely eliminating conflict. In each …area…technical as well as socioeconomic factors affect…success. Technical failures mainly affected the early fences…Other problems resulted from failure to take into account elephant behavior and distribution patterns. Elephants and Electric Fences: A Study From Sri Lanka. EEPSEA 2005-PB11

35. Designed to strengthen the credibility of the brief Might include: Description of the issue and context of the investigation Description of the research and analysis activities What methods were used to conduct the study? Who undertook the data collection and analysis? 5. Methodology • TIPS and TRICKS • This section is not always applicable – make sure it’s relevant before including it • Avoid overly technical language • Highlight unique methods or data collection • Focus on methodological issues related to the main messages/ recommendations

36. Implications What policy changes or actions do the results point to? Supported by evidence Must be actionable Less direct than recommendations Useful when advice not requested or not welcome 6. Implications / recommendations • Recommendations • What does the researcher think should happen? • Supported by evidence • Must be actionable • Describe clearly what should happen next • State as precise steps

37. 7. Reference and useful resources • Especially when synthesising from multiple sources, always cite them appropriately and be sure to add a list of references • Include seminal works in the area for the audience to easily find out more on the topic • Good opportunity to direct readers to other resources produced by the same author/ organisation/ network

38. Evaluating policy briefs Exercise 2

39. Evaluating policy briefs • In pairs – have a further look at the policy briefs and discuss the following questions: • What content of the policy brief did you like? • What content of the policy brief did you not like? • What about the format of the policy brief did you like? • What about the format of the policy brief did you not like?

40. Evaluating policy briefs....again! Think back to the policy brief that you evaluated at the start of the session: • Has your opinion changed? Is it better or worse than you thought? • What is good about the content and design? • What could be done better?

41. Structure and the role of design • Format & design can: • Engagepeople • Highlightcrucial information • Separatecontent and signpost your narrative • Conveyauthority • Show information in different ways

42. Some design ideas… • Photographs • Graphs and charts • Text boxes • Pull quotes • Side bars

43. Outlining policy briefs: where to start

44. Brainstorming for policy briefs

45. Defining your key messages…

46. Presenting your argument • What do you want to say, and to whom? • Summarise the main point, argument or line of reasoning into one or two clear and accessible sentences • Messaging is about prioritisation, not about ‘dumbing down’ • Messages should be both clear and consistent,and should tell a coherent story

47. Presenting your argument

48. The elevator pitch

49. ExerciseThe elevator pitch tool • Write your 3 key messages (5 minutes) • Split into pairs – one of you is a policy maker that you meet in the lift, going from the 1st to the 12th floor. • You have 2 minutes to pitch your key messages. Switch. (4 minutes – 2 minutes each)

50. ExerciseThe elevator pitch tool • Write your 3 key messages (5 minutes) • Split into pairs – one of you is a policy maker that you meet in the lift, going from the 1st to the 12th floor. You have 2 minutes to pitch your key messages. Switch. (4 minutes – 2 minutes each)