3. Writing a document
• Know the following:
– What type of document?
– What is the purpose?
– Who is the audience?
– What is your message?
• Plan the content
• Revise!!
Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
4. Eliminating wordiness
• Waffle words
– Generally speaking, writers can basically rely in
the main on certain fundamental techniques to
structure their text
– Generally speaking, writers can basically rely in
the main on certain fundamental techniques to
structure their text
– Writers can rely on fundamental techniques to
structure their text
Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
5. Eliminating wordiness
• Repeated meanings
– The end result was shorter in length than we had
hoped, but we plan to increase the text in the future.
Our writing methods and techniques enabled us to
achieve our aims and objectives
– The end result was shorter in length than we had
hoped, but we plan to increase the text in the future.
Our writing methods and techniques enabled us to
achieve our aims and objectives
– The result was shorter than we had hoped, but we
plan to increase the text. Our writing methods
enabled us to achieve our aims
Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
6. Complex words and jargon
• Complex words
– Use familiar words (keep it plain not posh!)
• Jargon: be careful when...
– Assigning precise/specific meaning to words that
others may interpret differently
– Using expressions that aren’t used in everyday
speech – might need to define them
Source: Biotext 2011. Successful science writing and editing
7. Report writing
• Reporting of health statistics from service data:
Country best practices (WHO 2007)
– Present statistics in different forms
– Use graphs, diagrams and tables – but include
explanatory notes
– Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the data
• Improving data quality: A guide for developing
countries (WHO 2003)
– Improving the quality of statistical and public health
reports
8. News articles and editorials
• Good way of getting information to the general
public
• News items
– Recent events
• Feature articles
– Longer
– Analyses subject areas
• Commentaries
– Opinion pieces, columns, editorials, letters
11. Newsletters, brochures and leaflets
• External or internal audiences
• Like a ‘shop window’
• What to include?
– Digest – Progress – Reports – Goals – Plans –
Tips – Links – People – Graphics – Features
• Brochures and leaflets
• Focus on single issue, product, service
• Content similar to a policy brief
12. Poster presentations
• Summarises work in easy, captivating ‘nuggets’
• Like an advertisement
• Inspires desire for more information
• Compelling research/evidence
• Colourful design
• Better than giving a talk
– Works when you aren’t there
– Can be used many times
13. Policy briefs
• Identify a problem
• Show evidence that informs policy on the
matter
• Propose solutions
• Present a recommendation
• Move the reader from problems to
possibilities to policies
• ‘Corn-flakes’ test
14. Components
1. Title
2. Summary
3. Statement of the problem
4. Background and/or context to problem
5. Pre-existing policies
6. Policy options
7. Critique of policy options
8. Policy recommendations
15. Group work
50 minutes
• Based on analysis of annual health bulletin
• Use the data to create a policy brief
– Advocate for additional resources/interventions
for a specific health issue
– Advocate for additional resources to improve
HIS/reporting (such as the bulletin)
• 30 minutes to develop
• 20 minutes to present back
Knowledge transferTaking what you know and putting it where it will serve a practical purposeNeed some sort of media to do thisWrittenVerbal (because it doesn’t just end with writing something)!
Points refer to those already covered with the communication strategyContent what information needs to be included write down the main headings organise the content into a logical order think about what material could be moved to an appendix
Waffle or weak words don’t provide content and they disrupt the flow of the sentenceStart with an ok sentence (not too long, but doesn’t flow that well)Remove a few words that aren’t neededEnd up with a short, clear sentenceReading out loud – key technique
Think about if you are saying the same thing twiceRepeated meanings are an unnecessary form of wordinessPaired words can be a hazard – aims/objectives; methods/techniques (are they different?)BIOTEXT handoutSubstitutes for wordy phrases
Statistical significanceFramework/stakeholder
Refer to references – saved on USBElements of a good table/graph
keep sentences short and simple keep paragraphs short don’t ramble avoid jargon use active verbs use quotesSame applies for websitesEXAMPLE of breast cancer report
Opposite to how we write in scientific communication – hypothesis, methods, results, conclusionStart with findings and implications then talk about methods/science laterNeed to ‘grab’ the audienceUp first: essentials of the story six ‘w’: who, what, why, when, where, and how supporting information in order of importanceWhy write this way? people skim read for importance more likely to read first paragraph and then move on need to have key message up first
External or internal – NOT bothInternal: inform and motivate staff; build and maintain organisation’s cultureExternal: increase visibility of an organisation; more formal
Delivery – who should the brief be given to, and how will it get to their desk?Handout of good example to work through
[continuation from group work earlier in the day]If people get time – one paragraph media releasePage 190 – KT toolkit
ConferencesCould also set-up monthly staff meetings with 10 minutes to present and discussAusAID ‘lunch box’ sessionsImportant pointsAverage adult attention span 20 minutesNobody interested in knowing everything you didFew will say ‘I wish that went on for longer’At conferences, people see 20-30 presentations, any excuse to stop listening – they will take
Speech should be an ‘appetizer’ Impress the importance of an issue, sell a core idea Point people to where they can find more information Speech is NOT a PowerPoint (come back to this later) Three take-home messages Tell them what the three messages are Show them what the messages are with detail Remind them about the messages Ask them for questions
Help animate a speechText can be used – brief bullet points Never distribute print-outs in advance: people will read and not listen Never read the text on screen – people read faster than you can speak; useless Never depend on the technology – what is your backup