Communicating science

1-day Workshop outline

This is a sample outline only. We tailor each workshop to meet the needs of clients.

2 presenters will facilitate the workshop, with 2 reporters (one from TV, one from radio).

Online adaptable

We have adapted this workshop to run online in shorter sessions over several days, please contact us for details.

Objectives

Understand how to structure and deliver an effective talk to meet both audience needs and your objectives

Develop some skills and confidence in dealing with different audiences, including the media

Apply principles of message-design to effective communication

Preparation

We ask each workshop participant to email us a 50-word summary of the most important and interesting aspects of their work with their current employer. We supply participants with details of the venue and any other arrangements.

Evaluation

Reaction based

We give you a feedback sheet to fill out at the end of workshop. We collate the results (we don’t edit them) and return them to the commissioning organisation.

Learning

We assess your learning on an individual basis throughout the workshop and give both oral and written feedback.

Behavioural

We give you individual feedback as you practise the skills in the workshop. We also provide individual feedback forms.

COMMUNICATING SCIENCE

Program outline

9am

Start

Welcome, objectives

Participants choose workshop objectives

What makes a good presentation? Discussion.

Audiences and messages

Who do you communicate with?

What are your messages?

Exercise 1: 2-minute talks (videoed and played back). Feedback.

Structure of a talk

Putting your messages into the 5-box model

Using visuals appropriately

Exercise 2: The introduction – prepare and present your introduction (videoed and played back). Feedback.

Lunch

Panel discussion

2 journalists discuss what the media needs to make a story work.

Exercise 3:1-minute talks by participants (videoed and played back). Feedback.

Distilling your message in writing

Revising your 50-word summary

Writing a tweet

Dealing with questions

Visuals and graphics

Exercise 4: Prepare and present graphics and take questions – individual talks videoed