Before you give an interview, take time to gather your thoughts and work out what’s important to get across in the limited time you will have.
TIP: Test drive your explanations ahead of time on a volunteer or two, and use their feedback to refine and improve what you say.
“Why should we care?”
Consider things from your audience’s perspective. What relevance will your research have for the average listener, reader or viewer? Can you hook their interest by drawing a connection to their daily lives or things they care about?
Focus your message
Write down three main points or ideas you want to try to communicate. Sometimes, there will only be time to cover off one, so decide which is the priority. Don’t get lost in the detail.
Fill in the gaps
Work out how much background information you need to support your message and how you will do this succinctly. Will people with no prior knowledge of your topic area be able to follow?
Consider the context
What angle is the journalist likely to pursue? Is this a hotly-debated issue right now? How will you come across in the context of what other groups are saying? Who else will be interviewed? What is the headline likely to be?
EXPLAINING YOUR SCIENCE | CONTENTIOUS ISSUES | WORKING WITH YOUR COMMS TEAM
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