Explaining your research is a professional necessity -- Learning a new communications paradigm. Understand your audiences ; Plan your research communication strategy -- Effectively reaching your peers. Give compelling talks ; Develop informative visuals ; Create effective poster presentations ; Write clear research explanations ; Build a quality web site -- Engaging lay audiences. Forge your research communications strategy ; The essential news release ; Craft releases that tell your research story ; Target releases to key audiences ; Produce effective research photography ; Produce informative research videos ; Organize dynamic multimedia presentations ; Create e-newsletters, wikis, blogs, podcasts, social networks, and webinars ; Write popular articles, op=eds, and essays ; Author popular books ; Become a public educator ; Persuade administrators, donors, and legislators -- Explaining your research through the media. Parse publicity's pros and cons ; Understand journalists ; Meet journalists' needs ; Prepare for media interviews ; Make the interview work for you ; Protect yourself from communication traps ; Manage media relations at scientific meetings ; Should you be a public scientist?

Explaining Research is the first comprehensive communications guidebook for scientists, engineers, and physicians. Drawing on knowledge gleaned from a forty-year career in research communications, Dennis Meredith maps out how scientists can utilize sophisticated tools and techniques to disseminate their discoveries to important audiences. He explains how to use websites, blogs, videos, webinars, old-fashioned lectures, news releases, and lay-level articles to reach key audiences, emphasizing along the way that a strong understanding of the audience in question will allow a more effective communication tailored to a unique background and set of needs. In addition to drawing on the experience of the author, the book also includes excerpts from interviews with 45 of the country\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s leading science communications experts, including academics, authors, journalists, and public information officers. As the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\information age\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ places new demands on scientists, Explaining Research will be a valuable resource not only for current professional scientists, but also for students who are the voice of the science community\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s next generation. This authoritative guide shows how to: ÂÃ,· Develop a \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\strategy of synergy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ that makes research communication efficient and effective ÂÃ,· Give compelling talks ÂÃ,· Build a professional Web site ÂÃ,· Create quality posters, photos, animations, videos, e-newsletters, blogs, podcasts, and Webinars ÂÃ,· Write popular articles and books ÂÃ,· Persuade donors, administrators and other key funding decision-makers ÂÃ,· Produce news releases that attract media coverage ÂÃ,· Give clear media interviews ÂÃ,· Serve as a public educator in schools and science centers Visit www.explainingresearch.com to learn more about the book and additional resources.