As a scientist, it is more than likely that you have already had the opportunity to discuss your field of research with non-specialists, either while doing science communication activities, or during a casual chat with friends or relatives. Perhaps you have already met a difficult audience, or you have had doubts about the best way to engage people with your research.

And that’s perfectly normal! Entering in a meaningful dialogue, transmitting and exchanging ideas and adapting your presentation to your audience are not skills that can be taken for granted. They need to be learned and practised. SciComm4all will give you some ideas and cues to improve your communication skills and be more comfortable and persuasive when discussing your research.

SciComm4all offers researchers short, self-guided learning modules composed of videos, additional resources (scientific articles, blogs, guidelines and toolkits…) and a self-assessment tool that will help you get familiar with the most important concepts in science communication.

SciComm4all aims to disseminate these self-training modules widely. By giving tools and methods to our colleagues that will facilitate their science communication, we hope that our project will bring science and society closer together.

If you want more information, please write to us: contact@scicomm4all.org

You can also check the project bibliography here!

1. And what about science

communication?

In this introductory module, you will go through general themes and reflections around science communication.  It will give you a preview of the rest of the series and let you see which aspects interest you the most.

2. Get to know your audience

and interactwith them!

You don’t interact with kids the same way you do with adults, but age is not the only factor! How do you adapt to your audience?  This module will give you some tips on getting to know your audience to make the encounter more effective.

3. Avoid jargon and choose your

words well

Every field of research is full of words, concepts and details that have become  trivial for you but might be obscure for your audience. This module will help you identify those and adapt them to effectively convey your message.

4. Key message :

Delimit your subject

When we discuss our research with non-specialists, we want to share everything, tell everything and be thorough. But does it really work? This module will give you tips on how to choose and craft your key message when interacting with an audience.

5. Emotions to encourage memorization and relatability

Are emotions inappropriate when trying to convey a scientific concept? Or should they be preferred to facts? This module explores how to use emotions to better engage your audience with your science.

6. Expertise and

its limits

Sometimes, actually being “the expert” can have some unpleasant limits because of our audiences’ prejudices and expectations. This module will help you identify those to overcome them, and share tips so you can be seen as an expert and recognised scientist in your field while building public trust.

7. Citizen Science

Citizen science is a powerful way to engage the public, bringing together non-scientists and professional researchers in a collaborative process. In this module, you’ll find out what citizen science actually is, why you might want to get involved, and how to do so!

8. How to tackle controversial issues ?

How do you engage with the public about controversial or difficult subjects? It is easy to fall into the trap of the so-called deficit model: if only people had all the facts, they would change their minds. This module will cover key points for dealing with complex conversations.

9. Be scientific in your communication

Do you feel you still are a scientist when you do science communication? Communication is a science. Here are a few pointers to help you combine your scientific expertise in your research field with the communication skills needed to share your knowledge with an audience.

10. How to convey critical

thinking skills? (coming soon)

11. Getting your work out : how to be prepared for a video interview

So, you have an opportunity to talk about your field of scientific expertise in the media and the pressure is on? Here are some things to keep in mind to best prepare for your interview and convey your passion to the public!