Write for the general public

Academic journalism

Academic journalism involves writing for the general public. This involves translating complex academic research and ideas into everyday language and making them accessible to a non-academic audience.

Purpose and audience

It is a good idea to be clear about your purpose for writing and who you are writing for at the outset. Purpose can be determined by asking: ‘What do I want my readers to take away from my writing?’ or ‘What is my point?’. You may have a specific section of the general public in mind when thinking about your audience. Simply ask: ‘Who is my specific target audience?’. It may help to imagine them, what they do and what they need to know.

Communication models

There are three main communication models that can be applied by academic writers to communicate with the general public. These models are commonly applied in STEMM disciplines but can be adapted to HASS disciplines as well.

Deficit (Dissemination) model: academics select the knowledge and ideas that they consider to be in the public interest; they then tell the non-academic public.

Dialogue model: this model seeks to encourage discussion, debate and query amongst the general public.

Engagement model: academics and the public participate in collaborative cycles of gathering information and consulting to produce knowledge and understanding about particular academic research and ideas.

Content

The content you select will be drawn from your area of expertise and will be framed by current public discourses on the topic. Focus on what readers need and want to know about the topic. The content must present essential information which answers the following questions: what, who, where, when, why and how.

Introductions and conclusions

Introductions should begin with a ‘hook’ to engage the reader. A ‘hook’ could be an anecdote or compelling facts and figures. Conclusions should leave readers with a clear ‘take away message’. This message can be a summary, a recommendation or a call to action.

Vocabulary, jargon and sentences

Use simple, everyday language. Write using concrete vocabulary, like familiar nouns. Contractions are acceptable. Avoid the use of excessive subject-specific jargon – use familiar, colloquial language. Write in non-academic prose - that is, avoid lengthy sentences with multiple clauses and phrases, use more simple sentences instead.

Direct audience address - pronouns

Personal (‘you’, ‘me’) and collective pronouns (‘we’, ‘us’) are acceptable to encourage audience engagement and investment in the subject.

Voice, register and tone

‘Voice’ refers to how you ‘sound’ as a writer. You will need to sound relatable and convincing - the reader must be reassured that you are the expert. Most writing for the general public adopts a conversational style.

Register refers to the degree of formality or informality in spoken or written texts. Writing for the general public is a combination of formal and informal registers.

Your tone expresses register and makes an immediate impression on your audience. Tones commonly fall into three categories: positive, neutral and negative.

When writing for the general public aim to use a combination of active and passive voices to enliven your article and engage readers.