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Communicating research beyond the academy

About this guide

There’s a long tradition of geographers communicating research ‘beyond the academy’ - to policy, to publics, to young people, to school teachers -  whether to recruit students, for career development, critical praxis and activism, or requirements of funders to document ‘impact’. Ten years ago we published the Communicating Geographical Research Beyond the Academy guide. It sought to bring together and share collective experience and learning, from within and beyond the academy. Today, there’s ever more opportunities and modes and media with which to do this. While many of the points made – about audience, about access, about brevity and the use of plain English – still stand, this collection covers these already familiar issues as well as bringing new perspectives to encourage readers to reflect on motives, means and methods and to illuminate examples of good practice.

Microphone on stand in front of a crowd of people

Introducing the 'communicating research beyond the academy' guide

By Peter Hopkins, Newcastle University and Catherine Souch, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Stack of newspapers

Writing for general audiences

By Alastair Bonnett, Newcastle University

Books stacked on a wooden shelf.

Book festivals

By Jo Sharp, St Andrews University

Sculptures and paintings displayed in glass cabinets in a museum exhibition

Working with museums

By Cheryl McGeachan, University of Glasgow

Two article covers side by side. Theleft hand image has title 'After Maria' centred in the piece. At the bottom of the cover there are 6 animated people, with a women in the forefront of the image. The left hand cover has the text 'Everyday stories of climate change' centred. At the bottom there are five animated people, two in front and three behind.

Graphic geographical research

By Gemma Sou, University of Manchester

An animated infographic explaining how using animation can enhance the impact of your work. 'Make your work...discoverable' is written in a banner at the top of the image. In the lower left there is a man looking through binoculars sat on a ladder. In the middle there is a women on a surfboard. In the lower right there is a women climbing a palm tree surrounded by the words 'animations increase the reach of your animation creating pathways to... impact (cognitive 2021)'.

Academia, animated

By Laura Evans, Nifty Fox

Scattered pens, pencils and pegs

Why zines + geography beyond the academy = 💜

By Jen Bagelman and Daniel Jones, Newcastle University

Microphone in a recording studio

Inside radio

By Hayden Lorimer, University of Edinburgh

Mixing table in a recording studio

Doing a radio interview

By Raksha Pande, Newcastle University 

Smartphone playing a podcast with headphones

Podcasts and audio

By Celia Robbins, University of Exeter

Mixing table, headphones and microphone in a recording studio

Broadcasting and narrowcasting: radio and podcasts

By Joanne Norcup, Centre for Caribbean Studies, University of Warwick and the Open University

A tray of stones on a wooden table, with posters and display boards behind

Engaging with the arts community

By Stephen Tooth, Aberystwyth University

Closed curtains on a theatre stage

Theatre

By Ruth Raynor, Newcastle University

Person outside setting up a camera on a tripod

Photojournalism

By Laurie Parsons, Royal Holloway, University of London

A map of the world showing storm tracks and variations in sea surface temperature

I make maps

By James Cheshire, University College London

Camera filming person sat on a chair in front of bookcases

Working with the media

By Matthew Blacket, Coventry University

Stack of newspapers

Engaging with the media

By Danny Dorling, University of Oxford

Smartphone showing Facebook, Instagram and Twitter apps

Social media

By Ella Gilbert, British Antarctic Survey

Computer screen with lines of code written across the screen

Scientific websites and blogs

By Bethan Davies, Newcastle University

Person pushing a push pin into a map of a city.

School engagement: mapping home during the COVID crisis

By Alison Blunt, Queen Mary University of London

Photograph of the houses of parliament taken from the adjacent bridge with a double-decker bus crossing the bridge.

Submitting evidence to a Select Committee

By Sarah Mills, Loughborough University

A person sitting on pavement which features scaffolding, a black bin and a bus stop.  The image suggests this person is homeless.

The riches of an applied geography of poverty

By John H. McKendrick, Glasgow Caledonian University

People sat around a long desk typing on laptops in a meeting

Engaging with policy-makers

By Anna Jackman, University of Reading

Person typing on a tablet

Communicating with policy makers

By Michael Collyer, University of Sussex

Person gesturing in a meeting with an open notebook, phone and laptop on a wooden table

Engaging commercial organisations

By Alex Singleton, University of Liverpool