Science Communication

# Science Communication — Making Research Accessible

## Overview
Translate complex scientific findings into engaging content for non-specialist audiences.

## Output Types

### Press Release
- **Headline**: Active voice, no jargon, emphasize significance
- **Lead paragraph**: Who, what, when, where, why — in plain language
- **Quote**: From the lead researcher, expressing significance
- **Background**: 1-2 paragraphs of accessible context
- **Implications**: What this means for patients/society/technology
- **Contact info**: PI, institution press office

### Plain-Language Summary
- Write at 8th-grade reading level
- Replace jargon: "gene expression" → "how active a gene is"
- Use analogies: "DNA methylation is like a dimmer switch for genes"
- One key finding per paragraph
- End with "Why it matters"

### Social Media (Twitter/X Thread)
- Hook tweet: surprising finding in <280 chars
- 3-5 thread tweets explaining the story
- Include: figure, emoji for visual breaks, relevant hashtags
- Tag relevant accounts (journal, institution, collaborators)

### Blog Post / Explainer
- Catchy title (question or surprising fact)
- Opening hook: a story, analogy, or question
- Background: what was known before
- The breakthrough: what's new
- Implications: what happens next
- Further reading: links to paper and resources

## Principles
- **Accuracy**: Never oversimplify to the point of being wrong
- **Engagement**: Tell a story, not a lecture
- **Honesty**: Include limitations and caveats
- **Accessibility**: No acronyms without expansion, no undefined jargon