2024 S2 Reading Effectively and Creatively

Build a coherent narrative What message do I want to convey? Whether you are presenting your research findings to a group of fellow researchers or to a non-specialist audience, it is essential to construct a coherent and clear narrative. In particular, you should address the ‘so-what’ question – what difference does your research make? What is new or different about it, and why is it interesting and relevant to the audience you are trying to reach? Is it aligned with current trends in policy or practice, or make a timely contribution to social and political debates? You should communicate the findings of the research first to highlight your contribution, whilst also setting your research in context by explaining how it relates to the existing evidence. It is important to set the right tone for your audience, using clear and concise language and minimising the use of technical terms and jargon, where appropriate. The word cloud below has been created from the vast amount of literature on the theory and practice of evidence-based policy making. Note the importance of building relationships, developing a diverse network, elements of trust and timing, as well as the use of language, emotions, narrative, and storytelling. evidence-informed policy making: generating policy impact word cloud