Communicating Science: Writing for Technical and Lay Audiences

1
Communicating ScienceWriting for Technical and
Lay Audiences

• Chairpersons
• Julie Kimbell, CIIT at The Hamner Institutes for
  Health Sciences
• Claude McGowan, Johnson Johnson
• March 27, 2007

2
Introduction

• Toxicology research results can have high impact
• Scientists
• Regulators
• General public
• Written communication is critical
• Papers, grant proposals, reviews, press releases,
  web sites, prospectus blurbs, package inserts
• Keys to success for written communication
  include
• Writing style
• Publication
• Clarity, no matter what audience is targeted
• Audiences issues
• For journalists and lay audiences Jargon
• For scientists Misunderstanding or
  misinterpretation

3
Local Newspaper Headline

• Researchers seek cancer answers up rodent's
  nose
• Formaldehyde trail through nose could yield
  breakthrough in institute's war on cancer 

4
Session Participants

• Claude McGowan, Co-chair
• Michael Alley (Penn State Univ.), author
• Essentials of Style in Scientific Writing
• Jim Kehrer (Washington State Univ.), editor
• The Ins and Outs of Publishing and Reviewing
  Manuscripts
• Helen Chickering (NBC News Channel), medical
  reporter
• Communicating Science to the Public
• Cyndy Yu-Robinson (U.S. EPA), public affairs
  specialist
• Challenges in Communicating Science from the EPA
• Discussion moderator

5
Session Structure

• Introduction 5 mins (130-135)
• Michael Alley 25 mins (135-200)
• Jim Kehrer 25 mins (200-225)
• BREAK 10 mins (225-235)
• Helen Chickering 25 mins (235-300)
• Cyndy Yu-Robinson 15 mins (300-315)
• Discussion intro 5 mins (315-320)
• Discussion 55 mins (320-415)

Please hold questions for each speaker until the
Discussion period, if possible!
6
Discussion

• How do we translate scientific jargon so
  non-professionals can appreciate results?
• Why should non-professionals should care about
  the latest advances in toxicology?
• How can toxicologists clarify messages for the
  larger public?