Looking to improve your scientific writing? Need some tip and tricks?
Most people in the science field don’t receive science communication training, so you’re not alone!
Here are 5 ways to improve your science communication:
Empathize With Your Audience
Before writing or communicating, put yourself in the shoes of your audience. Get to know them well.
If you were a member of your audience:
- What would you already know about this topic?
- What style and tone of communication would most resonate with you?
- Why should you care about this topic? How does it effect you?
- What is your attention span limit?
- What common understandings do we share? Where might we differ?
- What action would you be open to taking as a next step (learn more, talk to your friends about, consider doing ___)?
Write down these details and keep your audience in mind while writing.
State Your Main Point Before the Details
Have you ever watched a commercial where you couldn’t figure out what was being sold? A logo may have flashed at the end but you weren’t even sure what just happened?
Sometimes, poor science communication feels that way too. When facts or figures are whipped out before we’re told why they’re relevant, it can feel off-putting or confusing.
Improve your science writing or communication by stating your main point then elaborating.
This allows your audience to easily follow your message to its conclusion.
Use Comparisons/Analogies
Our brains have a surprisingly difficult time imagining quantities that we don’t already have experience with.
So when communicating very large or small quantities, use comparisons or analogies instead of numbers.
If I told you to visualize 660,253 gallons of strawberry lemonade, you’d know that’s a lot, but would you fully grasp how much that is?
But if instead, I told you to think about an Olympic-sized pool full of strawberry lemonade, you relate to your existing knowledge and it becomes more real.
Grounding big or small numbers in reality is important to communicate your full message.
For example, between these two sentences from a water conservation communication, which connects with you more?:
- Project X wastes 1,320,506 gallons of water a day.
OR
- Every day, Project X wastes enough water to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Most people can’t accurately visualize 1,320,506 gallons of water. But the average person has at least seen an Olympic pool on tv and can visualize the pool.
Consider practicing on any numbers you see. Enjoy finding fun analogies!
Prioritize Your Messaging
When’s the last time you retained every bit of information you learned at one time?
Yeah, me neither.
Similarly, if they are learning something new, your audience likely has a limit to how much they can remember. To make sure they still walk away with your main point, prioritize your messages in order of importance.
I do this by writing a list starting at #1 of the most important points I want people to understand. I use that to guide the placement of my messages in my writing.
Be open to audience feedback about whether your points are coming across.
Tell Your Audience An Easy Next Step
Most science writing and communication have a goal action in mind.
Successful communication aims to spark an action such as learn more, sign up, fund this project, drive safely, get vaccinated, donate, etc.
Tell your audience how they can take that next step. Don’t just hope they do it, tell them exactly what you want them to do and the easiest way they can do it.
Sci Com Blog 