You have been invited to write for the SJDM blog “It’s Your Choice” but you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry: we are here to help! The purpose of this outline is to give you pointers on how to write a successful post. The blog editors will also work with you to edit your post.
General guidelines for research briefs
- Write a good headline summarizing your research in one compelling and informative sentence (140 characters is ideal for Twitter!)
- Describe your research (e.g. what you did, what you found, and what it means). Be as straightforward as possible while still being accurate.
- Include a main takeaway message and also a statement of limitations.
- Avoid jargon or specialized language; if you have to use it, make sure to define it.
- Use short, snappy sentences.
- Write to your audience, who will include SJDM members, interested members of the public, and policy makers
- Keep it short: length should be ~1,000 words
Additional suggestions
- Start with a broad topic overview or anecdote. Something to draw readers in. Make it interesting within the first paragraph.
- Make sure readers will know what the payoff will be in the first two paragraphs. What did you find and why is that interesting, etc.
- Relate research to recent events and/or everyday experiences.
- When appropriate, create suspense by telling stories and raising questions that then must be answered.
- Conclusions and future directions: What is the main takeaway message you want to convey, in a sentence? What questions does this research leave unanswered?
Still further guidance…
For more advice, see this website: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2016/01/25/how-to-write-a-blogpost-from-your-journal-article/
Also, articles on The Conversation can serve as a good model for your post: https://theconversation.com/us
