Publishing for early career researchers – 6 June 2019

Preparatory assignment for the workshop ‘Outreach’.

In preparation of the workshop, you are asked to write an introduction to a journalistic article based on the content of your bachelor thesis, advanced research proposal or already existing article concept, to be submitted by Wednesday 5 June, 23:00 hrs., through mail to thom@de-focus.nl.

This introduction lacks the strong demands associated with an academic article; rather, it is a concise, easy and appealing read that emphasizes the relevance for readers that may not be so familiar with the discipline in question. Still, the scientific dimension remains evident; indeed, the introduction takes the first steps toward tackling a problem of scientific interest and arguing in a scientifically sound manner for a solution.

During the workshop, editorial teams (consisting of approximately five members, a mixture of PhD and master students) evaluate each of their concept introductions by discerning its strengths and weaknesses, in order to suggest improvements for further versions of the article.  Assessment will be guided by specific criteria. In this way, you really get to know the practice of editorial boards and gain a basic understanding of what makes an excellent piece of science journalism.

The introduction has a maximum length of 200 words and can consist of multiple paragraphs. Among the substantive criteria are clarity, accessibility for the layperson, target audience, suitability of the scope, stylistic appeal, and the title’s strength. Further guidelines can be found in the LibGuide on ‘Outreach’ (particularly, under “How do I write an article?”) Finally, please take a look at the website of De Focus and get inspired by the style and form applied in the published articles.