Op-Ed Pieces and Pitches: Framing Research for Public Audiences

Instructor: Tanya Domi

This three-hour workshop will focus on reaching the public via op-eds, essays, and interviews with reporters. We'll cover the idea of news pegs, the art of pitching a piece to editors, the difference between journalistic and academic writing, the editing process, and techniques for talking to journalists who contact you about your work.

As part of this discussion, an editor and a reporter will talk about what they're looking for when it comes to describing (and demystifying) research or study results.

Participants will learn how to:

• Recognize a news peg on which to hang an Op-Ed or article
• Pitch an Op-Ed or article to a publication
• Work within the give-and-take of a publication's editing process
• Demystify complex concepts for a general audience
• Work with reporters seeking information about their research

Pre-session work: Before the workshop meets, participants will be asked to submit a brief description of their research and to read a few published Op-Eds or essays written by academics about their research.