How do you customize research messages for different audiences?

1 Identify your audience

Before you craft your research message, it is essential to know who you are talking to and what they need to understand. Different audiences may have varying levels of familiarity, interest, and expertise in your research topic, as well as various expectations, preferences, and motivations. For instance, when presenting your research to a funding agency, you may want to emphasize the relevance, impact, and novelty of your work. On the other hand, if you are writing a blog post for the general public, simple language, examples, and stories can be used to engage and inform them. To identify your audience, ask yourself questions such as who they are and what their background is; what their purpose and goal is in receiving your message; what their main questions and concerns are about your research; what their existing knowledge and assumptions are about your research topic; and how they prefer to receive and process information.

2 Define your purpose

Once you know your audience, you need to define your purpose for communicating your research. What do you want to achieve with your message? What do you want your audience to think, feel, or do after receiving your message? Your purpose should guide your choice of content, tone, and format for your research message. For example, if your purpose is to inform your audience about your research findings, you may want to provide factual and objective information, use a neutral and authoritative tone, and use a format that allows for details and evidence, such as a report or a journal article. If your purpose is to persuade your audience to support your research agenda, you may want to provide compelling and relevant arguments, use a positive and confident tone, and use a format that allows for emotion and interaction, such as a pitch or a presentation.

3 Select your content

When selecting content for your research message, it is important to consider the audience and purpose of your message. You need to decide what to include, what to exclude, and what to emphasize in order to balance the amount and depth of information with the available time and space, as well as the audience's attention span and interest level. Additionally, you should take into account any prior knowledge of the audience, as well as potential gaps or misconceptions that need to be addressed or clarified. To select the best content for your message, ask yourself questions such as: what are the key points or takeaways that you want your audience to remember? What evidence do you need to provide to back up your points? What are the implications or applications of your research for your audience or their context? Are there any potential challenges or limitations of your research that you need to acknowledge or address? And what next steps or actions do you want your audience to take or follow?

4 Adapt your language

When customizing your research message, it is essential to use language that is clear, concise, and suitable for your audience's level of comprehension, interest, and familiarity with the research topic. Additionally, the language should be consistent with your purpose and tone, while also conveying your credibility, confidence, and enthusiasm. To adapt your language, you can employ strategies such as defining technical terms or acronyms; using examples, analogies, or metaphors to explain complex or abstract concepts; utilizing active voice, short sentences, and transitions to create a clear structure; using headings, bullet points, or visuals to organize key information; and incorporating questions, stories, or humor to engage and connect with your audience.

5 Test and refine your message

Once you have created your research message, it is essential to test and refine it to ensure accuracy, clarity, relevance, and impact. You can do this by seeking feedback from colleagues, peers, experts, and representatives of your target audience to get constructive and authentic responses. Additionally, you should review your message for any errors, inconsistencies, or content gaps. After revising your message based on the feedback and review results, you may need to repeat the process until you are satisfied. Customizing research messages for different audiences is a dynamic and iterative process that calls for careful planning, analysis, and creativity. By following these tips, you can communicate your research more effectively and achieve the desired outcomes.