Health and Science Communication

Selected Resources to Recognize Health Literacy Month

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Nearly half of U.S. adults read between a 7th- and 8th-grade reading level, but health information is often delivered at a 10th-grade level or higher. October is  [Read more]

Health and Science Communication

Inclusive and Preferred Language for Patient and Research Participant Communication – Selected Resources 

Health and science communication best practices include developing communication that is respectful, inclusive, and accessible to your audience. Here are some resources to support your regular communication with patients and research participants using inclusive and preferred language. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Inclusive Communication Principles include key principles for general communication and preferred terms for select  [Read more]

Scholarly Publishing

Need to describe your research impact beyond publications? Try the Translational Science Benefits Model

Are you struggling to describe how your research impacts the “real world”? Many folks know we have citation databases and other resources at Washington University to help researchers identify and describe the impact of their publications. Yet, increasingly researchers need to demonstrate their impact outside of academia. One resource we recommend is the Translational Science  [Read more]

Health and Science Communication

5 Tips to Simplify Academic Writing for General Audiences

As a researcher, you communicate your work to a wide variety of people daily. Besides engaging in jargon-rich discussions with your peers, you might share your research on a personal website, talk about it at a community event, or write about it on social media. Plain language can help you reach beyond academia and ensure  [Read more]

Health and Science Communication

Research or medical glossaries help simplify language, better communicate your work  

At the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences’ 4th Annual Symposium, “Making an Impact, Shaping the Future,”  panelist Dr. L. Ebony Boulware, vice dean for translational science research at Duke University, emphasized the need to speak a common language, especially when working with community members and research participants. While this isn’t always an easy task, it  [Read more]

Health and Science Communication

Commit to using plain language in the new year

Have you wondered how to improve the documents and forms your department shares with research participants and patients? Plain language is one of the best tools to ensure your writing is clear and accessible to all. Research shows it can increase research participation, improve adherence, and overall, lead to better health outcomes.  A few of  [Read more]

Health and Science Communication

Key takeaways from #SciComm Week

Becker Library recently hosted its first #SciComm Week to launch its new Center for Health and Science Communication. Three exceptional science communicators shared their expertise for the series. Here are a few highlights from the presentations. Transforming Slide Design Melissa Marshall, Founder of Present Your Science, kicked off the week by sharing the assertion-evidence slide design  [Read more]

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