Communicating Research Results

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Communicating Research Results

• Research Methods for Public Administrators
• Dr. Gail Johnson

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Transition Back To The Beginning

• Research planning is the funnel into specifics
• Data collection and number crunching mean working
  with details
• Making sense of the data means returning to the
  beginningto answer the questions that prompted
  the study

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Transition Back To The Beginning

• In this phase the key questions for the
  researchers
• What are the answers to the research questions?
• What are the major messages based on the research
  results I want to convey?
• Who is the primary audience?
• How can I package my research results so it meets
  the requirements of my audience?

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Transition Back To The Beginning

• Whats my point? is the mantra
• Whatever is not on point gets cut
• I keep a parking lot file for those great
  findings, brilliant phrases, and blinding
  insights that do not contribute to my point
• This feels better than hitting the delete key

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Transition Back To The Beginning

• Conversations with the stakeholders or the boss
  are useful in clarifying their primary interests
  and concerns
• It is often useful to share preliminary findings
  as part of those conversations
• Especially if it the data are not what was
  expected or if the data are more negative than
  anticipated

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Consider The Use of Research Results

• Is it intended to
• Inform interested parties?
• Prompt action?
• More research suggestions based on what you
  learned and the new questions that need to be
  addressed
• New ideas for methodology
• Program/policy changes
• Suggestions based on your study
• Recommendations

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Consider Dissemination Strategy

• How will you get the information out?
• Depends on situation
• Do you intend people to use your research
  results?
• Written Report
• Presentation with sponsor/client
• Presentation with people in the community
• Place, time, publicity
• Press release
• Web presence

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Communication Basics

• The goal is to communicate-- not to impress
• Make it easy for the reader to get your point
• Keep your purpose and audience in mind
• Keep it simple and free from jargon
• Consider your presentation from your audiences
  point of view

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Communication Basics

• Synthesis organize a report around major themes
  or research questions
• Not a chronology of who was interviewed
• Not a presentation of all the survey results
• Not a listing of what each book or article said
• The researcher is now telling the story of the
  data
• The analysis should reveal specific themes
• The researchers decide on the major messages they
  want their audience to understand

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Communication Basics

• Provide enough information about the research
  methods so others can judge its credibility
• Include all information about methods, data
  collection, sampling, etc
• Briefly in body of the report, more detail in an
  appendix

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Communication Basics

• Always state the limitations of the study
• Every study has limitations
• Explain trade-offs necessary to conduct the study
  under the particular constraints in the field,
  the things that could not have been anticipated
  or controlled
• Do it before your critic challenges you on the
  limitations
• Conclusions and recommendations should be mindful
  of those limitations

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Presenting Results The Options

• Writing Reports for the Public
• Executive Summary
• Charts and Tables
• Presentations

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Discussion

• Think of the best report that your have read.
• What made it the best?

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Overview Written Reports

• This is a story
• Set up the tension research questions, issues,
  and concerns
• Provide the clues findings section
• Tell them who did it conclusion

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Overview Written Reports

• Engage reader from the start whats the hook?
• Organize around research questions or themes
• Place major points up front
• Report data findings simple, easy to follow

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Overview Written Reports

• Provide enough information about your research
  methods so others can judge its credibility
• Place technical information in an appendix
• State limitations of study
• Never make recommendations without evidence
• Who specifically should do precisely what?

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Overview Written Reports

• Cut draft by 10 percent to sharpen the focus
• Leave time to revise, revise, revise
• Have a cold reader and a knowledgeable reader
  review the draft
• Consider their comments and revise again

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The Generic Report Structure

• Introduction
• Purpose
• Issue, concerns
• Why is this important
• Background
• Context
• What is Known

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The Generic Report Structure

• Methodology
• Brief in body of report
• Who, how, how many
• Details can go in appendix
• Findings
• Present data so audience can understand
• Present data selectively whats your point?

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The Generic Report Structure

• Conclusions
• Tie back to your research questions.
• Recommendations, if any.
• Make sure you have presented the evidence to
  support the recommendations.

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Executive Summary

• Essential for busy readers
• Short 1-4 pages
• Writing short is harder than writing long!
• Bottom line focused major findings and
  recommendations
• Present in bullet format
• Refer them to report or appendix for more detail
• Ruthless adherence to Whats my point?

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Executive Summary Format

• Executive Summary follows report structure
• Brief
• overview background and purpose of the study
• the hook
• Description of major questions, issues
• Description of research methods
• Major Findings
• Major Conclusions
• Major Recommendations

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Conveying Numbers Through Charts and Tables

• One picture is worth
• a thousand words.

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Charts and Tables

• Purpose to
• Describe
• Explore
• Tabulate
• Compare
• Present data simply and accurately
• Make data coherent and to the point

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Charts and Tables

• Benefits
• High Impact
• Audience acceptance of data
• Increased memory retention
• Highlights the message
• Visually interestingbreaks up text

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Charts and Tables

• Charts Better for presenting the message.
• Tables Better for presenting data

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Chart Terminology

• Chart Title Whats the Point?
• Y Axis label
• --Percent
• Key X Axis LabelTime
  Periods
• Source and Date

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Chart Options

• Line trends over time

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Chart Options

• Bar chart percent distribution

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Chart Options

• Cluster bar chart comparing several items

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Chart Options

• Combination lines and bars

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Chart Options

• Pie Chart parts of a whole, slices always add
  to 100

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Effective Charts

• Easy to read
• Use upper and lower cases (not ANGRY caps)
• Only use a few type faces
• Appropriate for the delivery
• Avoid busy patterns
• Use white space
• Keep the chart simple

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Effective Charts

• Keep scales honest
• Use title to convey message
• Provide sufficient data with the chart so the
  message is there
• Identify source of data
• Put supporting data in an appendix

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Judicious Use of Charts Too Much?
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Effective Tables

• Simple and accurate
• Clearly label rows and columns
• No abbreviations
• Show percents
• Round to nearest whole numbers when showing
  percentages and money
• Show total numbers (basis of the percents)
• Identify the source of the data

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Table Title With A Message
Column Title (N 300) Column Title (N360)
Row Title 50 40
Row Title 55 60
Total 100 100
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Discussion

• Think of the best presentation you have ever
  heard.
• What was that presentation about?
• What made it the best?

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Oral Presentations

• Prepare
• Who is your audience?
• What do you want them to remember?
• How much time will you have?
• Whats the delivery resources available?
• What few handouts, if any?
• Rehearse, time, get feedback,

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Oral Presentations

• Organize
• Tell them what you will tell them
• Tell them
• Tell them what you told them
• Avoid complex language, detailed data
• If possible, keep interactive
• Be prepared for questions

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Avoid Death By Powerpoint

• Use only as many slides as is necessarykey them
  to major points
• Simple and clear, big font, few points per slide
• Keep bells and whistles to a minimum too
  distracting
• Dont read from powerpoints
• Use as a tool to prepare the presentation
• Use as an outline when giving the presentation

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Other Presentation Options

• Poster Board
• Useful when you are at a conference or group
  event
• It is like a visual executive summary
• Want to attract people, needs to be simple but
  clearly present the message

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Other Presentation Options

• Media press releases
• This are short, one page
• Think Smart just released a community assessment
  that found..
• For more info, contact..
• Web presence
• Websites
• Blogs

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Final Words About Recommendations

• Only when you feel your research is solid and the
  evidence is strong
• All research is flawed and there are always
  limitations
• Strong is a often judgment call
• Those who like the results will be more willing
  to not ask tough questions
• Those who do not like the results are likely to
  impugn the data and the methods, and maybe even
  question the honesty of the researcher

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Final Words About Recommendations

• Weasel words are useful if the study results are
  not definitive
• It appears that
• The results suggest that
• Policy makers might want to consider
• What else?

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Final Words About Recommendations

• Recommendations specific and precise
• Specifically who should do exactly what
• There ought to be a law type of general
  prescriptions are often not useful
• Should be tied to the research rather than
  opinion
• But if it is opinion, it should be stated as such
• Are the recommendation doable? Practical? Costly?
• Be aware of the counter arguments and take into
  account when framing the recommendations

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Final Words About Writing

• Everyone has their own process
• Some like outlines
• Some like to organize their thoughts using 3x5
  cards
• Some like to do mindmaps
• Some like to write their first draft in a stream
  of consciousness
• Find what works best for you

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Final Words About Writing

• Just do it!
• Set up a specific time and write
• It does not have to be good
• It just has to get out of ones head
• Then it can be changed and polished
• It is not possible to write well if you have an
  active critic in your headso turn it off.
• The critic will get its turn once there is a
  solid draft

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Final Words Ownership

• If you work in an organization, you do not own
  the material
• Others will want to edit and make changes
• One challenge is to discern the defensiveness
  that is related to the integrity of the work and
  the defensiveness that is related to ones ego
• There are many ways the same information can be
  conveyedit is a style preference
• It is not personal

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Final Words Ownership

• The second challenge is overcoming the fear that
  protecting the integrity of the work will be
  career limiting
• It may be that your boss does not understand that
  criticism that those changes will create
• Your job is to explain the likely scenario and
  suggest some options that may meet bosss
  concerns without damaging the integrity
• Sometimes changing a few words can dramatically
  alter the tone and meaning but still be an honest
  presentation of the dataand that will solve the
  problem

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Final Words Presenting Unwelcome Information

• It would be nice if researchers always discovered
  programs that work, highly motivated employees,
  and satisfied citizens
• But it does not work that way
• When the message, after careful analysis and
  review, is negative, the researchers should be
  prepared for attacks on the methodology.
• Really, there was a case where someone attacked
  the 59 response rate as being too good as proof
  there was something wrong with the study results

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Presenting Unwelcome Information

• Sometimes it helps to meet with the stakeholders
  to share the results and get their perspectives
• Sometimes they will bring forth new data that
  shed light on the situation
• Sometimes they are aware of the situation and
  have some possible remedies to be considered

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Presenting Unwelcome Information

• Begin with the assets
• It is easier to hear the concerns and issues that
  follow
• Focus on major problems for which there might be
  remedies
• Word choice matters
• Saying a program failed and implying the managers
  are inept is not a winning strategy
• Better to say the program encountered some
  challenges that limited success
• Things are working but improvements are needed

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Presenting Unwelcome Information

• But this is a difficult situation
• Finding the balance between protecting the
  integrity of the data and the truthfulness of the
  negative findings while being sensitive to the
  issues and concerns of the officials is not easy
• Consulting other professional about how to handle
  this situation may be warranted

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Takeaway Lessons

• For many, telling the story is the payoff
• Several challenges
• Making the story simple and clear even if the
  research methods are complex
• Finding the balance between too much and too
  little information
• Ensuring that bias does not creep in at the
  endin drawing conclusions or making
  recommendations
• Conveying unwelcome information in a way that can
  be heard and used

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Takeaway Lessons

• The final product, be it a report or an oral
  presentation, should have enough information
  about the research methods for a sophisticated
  reader to decide its credibility.

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  me a copy of changes
• Johnsong62_at_gmail.com
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