Paradigm Online

New communications strategies for public policy impact

Howard Hudson, April 2015

Framing the problem

Why are we here?

Effective research communication is a vital element in
ensuring that research makes a difference; without it,
a lot of research effort is wasted.
Many of the answers to major development
challenges are already known but the information
is inaccessible, unusable, or unavailable.
[For] southern countries communication of
research is a moral imperative, not an option.

http://bit.ly/1wxLQZV

What can help?

Researchers are not expected to be expert
communicators, but they should be encouraged
to work with communication specialists.
Support is needed in three areas: 1. to improve
incentives for researchers to communicate; 2. to
build skills at personal and institutional levels to
more effectively communicate; 3. to strengthen
capacity for evidence in policy and practice.
Communication should be an integral part of the
research cycle and not an add-on all bilaterally
funded research programmes should allocate a
minimum 10% of the budget to communication.

http://bit.ly/1wxLQZV

Why are policymakers hard to reach?

Policymakers find it hard to use researchbased evidence because of the 5 Ss:
1. Speed: they have to make decisions quickly
2. Superficiality: they cover a wide brief
3. Spin: they have to stick to a decision,
at least for a reasonable period of time
4. Secrecy: many policy discussions have to
be held in secret
5. Scientific ignorance: few are scientists
and many dont understand the scientific
concept of testing a hypothesis.

http://bit.ly/1vl6Qmd

What do policymakers want #1?

Survey of >300 UK civil servants (2014)
What roles? UK policymakers want academics
as knowledge providers (86%), as informal
advisors (67%), and as trainers (63%).
What sources? Policymakers read briefings
(79%), media reports of academic outputs
(61%), and social media / university websites
(51% combined).
Whats new? Social media and web presence
are increasing in importance.

http://bit.ly/1zen8v8

What do policymakers want #2?

Survey of >200 US policymakers (2014)
What roles? US policymakers want scholars as
informal advisors (87%), as creators of new
knowledge (72%), and as trainers (54%).
What sources? Policymakers find newspapers
as useful as classified information (both
>60%) Op-eds are influential due to where
they are published and for their short length.
What style? Policymakers find much scholarly
work inaccessible. They want them to write in
plain English Reports >15 pages not useful.

http://bit.ly/1rfsnHM

How to get the message across?

World Bank reports (2008-12)
Never cited: 86%
Downloaded <100 times: 40%
Never downloaded: 31%
Dead ends = Jargon-filled PDFs
Live ends = Multi-layered approach:
via articles, blogs, briefs, op-eds,
training and videos in plain English
Reaching a mass audience via
traditional and social media.
Mix of own channels and external media...

http://bit.ly/1uevrXs

Are we making an impact?

United Nations University AR2014
Media articles: Almost 4,580 stories
in 2,130 global online sources

Websites: UNU HQ: 3.31m pageviews

UNU-MERIT: 0.81 million pageviews
highest institutional web traffic after HQ
Video: UNU HQ YouTube: 5.4m views
UNU-MERIT: 65,766 views
highest institutional video channel after HQ
Social: UNU HQ Facebook: 11,100 followers
UNU-MERIT: 4,000 followers
highest institutional social media after HQ

New trends

New political landscape

More than the entire populations

of South Korea, Spain or Kenya

http://bit.ly/1ATuJDX

New political landscape

World leaders on Twitter:
2011: 42%
2013: 80%
US lawmakers on Twitter:
2011: 44% of Senate, 38% of House
2013: 100% of Senate, 90% of House

EU lawmakers on Twitter:
2011: 34% of MEPs
2014: 68% of MEPs

http://bit.ly/1ATuJDX

New media landscape

When we go online, each of us is our own
editor, our own gatekeeper. N.Kristof, NYT
Why and how do we open our gates?

We act on (social) recommendations

from friends and other trusted sources

But often in a rush, while multi-tasking

We scan about 4 words / second.
Articles hook or miss very quickly
(e.g. because of jargon)

http://bit.ly/1yPUulT

Two-way mindset
Despite distractions, Web 2.0 big advantage:
We remember about 10% of what we
read, 50% of what we read and hear,
and 90% of what we do (i.e. interact with)
Liking, sharing or commenting on our
blogs, infographics or videos gives people
a virtual stake in our work
Mass micro-engagement (virality) builds a
collective consciousness. This can have
political and social ramifications >
e.g. Obamas 50m followers on Twitter

New guidelines

UN guidelines
1. BE ACTIVE: Use the active voice rather than
the passive voice. This shows who is responsible
2. BE DIRECT: State facts and ideas directly:
use concrete rather than abstract words
3. BE DYNAMIC: Use verbs instead of nouns
wherever possible. Verbs are dynamic and
action-oriented
4. BE DIGESTIBLE: Favour short words and
sentences. Present one idea per paragraph
5. BE SELECTIVE: Use appropriate language,
adapted to your audience and purpose

The extremists are afraid of books and

pens. The power of education frightens
them. Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Laureate

UN(U) guidelines
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary,
11th edition, is the current authority for
spelling in the United Nations. Heres the
latest usage summary of United Nations
University and Maastricht University:
- Basic spelling: analyse, labour, organisation,
programme
- Basic rules: Our readership is global, so avoid
colloquial words and phrases
- Dont get technical: Explain terms on first
use. Presenting complex academic or scientific
information in plain English means less
confusion for readers.

http://bit.ly/1EuT2WU

Where to start? Flesch Reading Ease Test

- Built into MS Word. For the 2010 version:
File > Options > Proofing > Show readability statistics (Tick box).
100: Very easy to read. Average sentence
<12 words. Max. 2 syllables per word.
65: Plain English. Average sentence
15-20 words. Average 2 syllables.
30: A little hard to read. Sentences mostly
25 words. Usually 2 syllables.
0: Very hard to read. Average sentence
37 words. Average >2 syllables.

http://bit.ly/1uSkuHZ

Blogging basics
- Online diary for sharing ideas, insights
and observations: What did you learn at
a big event? What MOVED you and why?
- Write as you speak: quite informally and
using the I/we form to be active
- Invite and respond to comments: like an
informal peer review

- Good practice for op-eds, policy briefs

Structure = inverted

Front-load articles: begin with the main

problem or position, add key info, then
essential context: Inverted Pyramid

Present one idea per paragraph

Add chapter headings for chunks of

text: be concrete rather than abstract,
especially for international audiences

Headlines and block quotes

Use a simple and vivid title (3-5 words)
with an explanatory subtitle (10-15 words)
Use block quotes to highlight
major / controversial ideas

Assignment: Translate
texts into everyday English
- Take one of your papers
- Change the title into a journalistic
headline; convert the intro, key data
and conclusion into a 400-word blog
-

Tap into a wider audience via topical

issues and universal (UN) problems:
human survival, development, welfare

Share your personal insights and

observations: this is your take!

?
?

Any questions?
hudson@merit.unu.edu