Who is the layperson and why should I write for them?

So, we frequently hear grumbling amongst researchers when they are asked to write something on their research for the layperson. And, I get it, you spend years and years becoming an expert in your field, you're on the cutting-edge, and it's annoying to have to return to the more rudimentary concepts and explain them to someone who hasn't bothered to read the foundational texts in your field!

But, as someone who has had a career writing for the layperson or educating the layperson, allow me to answer the question, "who is the layperson and why should I write for them?" To do this, I'll try to disperse some myths.

Myth #1: The layperson isn't smart.
Many researchers believe that writing for the layperson is watering down or vastly oversimplifying their research for the layperson who could never possibly understand the complexity of the research. This is a myth because the layperson is smart, the layperson has their own expertise; it's just not in your exact area. They are capable of understanding the complexity of your research, but you are going to have to educate them. To educate them, try to understand your audience better. What can you assume they already know? What concepts might they understand that you can draw on to relate to your research? What are they most interested in learning?

Myth #2: It's not worth writing for the layperson.
PIs often suggest that their grant reviewers are not laypeople, so what's the point in writing specific aims or a project overview that a layperson can understand? A couple of responses. First, are you sure that your reviewers will not include laypeople? Some agencies include patients, consumers, or other stakeholders who are laypeople as reviewers. If these folks don't understand your grant proposal, don't think they'll just chalk it up to you being so smart that it would be impossible for them to understand what you're doing. The second reason is even experts in your field appreciate you writing for the layperson, because it means you are writing in a clear and compelling manner. Even in my own field, I appreciate when a scholar lays out a theory or method that I use regularly such that a layperson could understand it because I can then draw on the way they define/describe the concepts in my own work. I can't remember a time that I was annoyed at how basic someone's description was in a grant proposal even in my own area of expertise.

Myth #3: Good research writing is complicated.
You're likely familiar with the old adage that you understand something better when you teach it. And, as a faculty researcher, you've likely experienced this; you know XX101 like the back of your hand. Now, I'm not comparing laypeople to that undergraduate who never does his/her homework and can't be bothered to show up to class on time (see myth #1). What I am saying is that when you approach research writing whether for grants or peer-reviewed journals as trying to teach your work to an audience, you will end up with a clear, compelling, and understandable text. Many of us assume that good research writing is challenging to read, and this comes from being trained to wade through a lot of bad writing by more seasoned colleagues throughout our educational and research experience. But, it's time to break this myth and say, "No, we can write about our research without exasperating and frustrating our reader, even when they're a layperson!"

I hope you will join me in this myth busting cause, for the sake of your research, for the sake of your reviewers, for the sake of the layperson!

Resources:

Writing for Lay Audiences: A Challenge for Scientists - Joselita T. Salita
Top Tips for Writing a Lay Summary - Academy of Medical Sciences
Academic and Research Paper Writing in Layman's Language - enago academy

Applying for Pilot Grants

Many investigators joke that to get a grant for your research you have to have completed the research to report your results in your proposal for the project you've already done. And there is a bit of truth in this jest. Most grant-making agencies today want to see significant preliminary data before investing in your project and you with a grant.

This can create a catch 22 for PIs when they need funding to move forward with the projects to get preliminary data. When you're in this situation, your institution may have internal grants programs to help get you going. For instance, at the University of Colorado Denver Campus, the Office of Research Services has an internal grants program to get faculty off and running.

Externally, there are grants for pilot projects or new innovative projects, as outlined in our latest e-book. When applying for these types of grants, it is important that you develop a larger vision for your research beyond your pilot or seed project. What is your ultimate goal? Where will you secure funding for your larger project? Once you know where you're ultimately going with your research and how you will get there, you need to identify the parameters of your pilot or seed project that will allow you to secure the preliminary data you need to compete for your bigger project.

Once you know what you must accomplish in your initial project, you'll be able to outline a budget and clearly describe not only your small initial project but also make the case for what this project will allow you to do afterward.

It's important to note that while some pilot grants are really for the very initial stages of research, some do require some preliminary data or at least expect it, so as you comb through the pilot grant book, bear this in mind and read the program announcement thoroughly to determine if the program will meet your needs and if you can meet its demands.

Remember, as with all of our e-books, they are meant to give you a start, and for our faculty on the CU Denver | AMC campuses, we encourage you to contact us to set up a personalized fund search so that we can point you toward programs that align with you and your needs.

Resources:
Pilot Project Funding e-book - ORDE

Starting the semester off right with your research

Well, I must have blinked, because summer break is over. Hopefully, you had a productive summer and are returning refreshed! As faculty start coming back to the classroom, it is tempting to focus on your teaching to the detriment of your research. Then, you blink again, and it's winter break. Once more, and spring is over and you're left wondering where the year went and why you didn't move your research forward as much as you'd hoped.

It's a story we hear again and again at ORDE, and we get it, juggling research, teaching, and service is a lot to manage for even the most seasoned scholar. But, in hopes of prompting you to stay on track with your research in this new academic year, we suggest you plan out your year using three key research strands: grants, pubs, and projects.

If you're a new faculty member, sometimes it can feel as though the research production game is a cycle that's hard to break into. You want money for your research, but you don't have enough pubs to be competitive for a grant. You need to complete a research project to then publish on, but you need grant funds to cover your project expenses...

So, consider what you can accomplish with each strand. Figure out what grant programs would align with your research and figure out when the deadlines are. Plan back from there. We recommend that researchers plan on six months for their grant development process, including the time spent researching the agency and reaching out/building rapport with a Program Officer.

Once those timelines are on your calendar, think about what you can do to bolster your application. Are there a couple of publications you need to finish writing based on your last project? Be sure to map those on your timeline as well. Lastly, what project are you currently working on, what is your plan to complete it? Would a smaller, internal seed grant help you to produce a bit more? This might allow you another publication or give you more preliminary data with which you can wow reviewers and give them confidence in funding your next, bigger project.

Yes, this is a lot of work, and you do have teaching responsibilities that take a chunk of time, but taking a little time now to plot out your research plan for the academic year will help keep you on track so that you don't end up in the spring feeling behind!

Resources:
Proposal Development Planning Resources - ORDE
Writing a Research Plan - Science