Paradigm Online Blogging and online communications workshop

Howard Hudson, September 2014

Problem or opportunity?

Survey of 230+ senior US policymakers

Language: “Policymakers find much current scholarly work… inaccessible. [They] want scholars to write in… plain English.”

Medium: “A scholar’s broader visibility… enhances influence among policymakers more than his or her academic standing.”

merit.unu.edu/resources

Brief recommendations

Paradigm online

1. Blogs are gaining ground: Huffington Post has more writers than the New York Times

“When we go online, each of us is our own editor, our own gatekeeper.” Nicholas Kristof

2. Online articles are mainly read while doing other things, like mailing, shopping, etc.

More rushed: mainly scanning. 4 words / sec. Quickly hooked or quickly dropped

Two-way mindset Despite distractions, Web 2.0 big advantage:

• You remember 10 per cent of what you read, 50 per cent of what you read and hear, and 90 per cent of what you do.

Key to interactivity: blogs, infographics, videos = food for Facebook (1.2b+) YouTube (1b+) and Twitter (240m+)

Commenting, sharing, liking = many small acts that can “go viral” Examples? IMF Direct / Poverty Report

Blogging basics - Online diary for sharing ideas, insights and observations: What did you learn at a big event? What MOVED you and why?

- Write as you speak: use abbreviations and the I/we form to be ACTIVE

- Invite and respond to comments: treat it as a very informal peer review

- Also good practice for writing op/eds or even policy briefs

Where to start? Some examples… - Political determinants of sustainable transport in Latin American cities (paper)

- Urban Mobility: What Can Latin America Learn from East Asia? (blog)

- The Mythical City of Curitiba: Still a Model of Sustainability? (blog)

- Path-breaking directions of nanotechnology-based chemotherapy and molecular cancer therapy (paper)

- Can Nanotechnology Help Cure Cancer? (video)

Simpler message = more accessible

Question headlines = encourages interactivity

Where to start? Getting technical… - “Flesch Reading Ease Scale” part of MS Office. - MS Word 2010: File > Options > Proofing > Show readability statistics (Tick box).

• 100: Very easy to read. Average sentence <12 words. Max. 2 syllables per word.

• 65: Plain English. Average sentence 15-20 words. Average 2 syllables.

• 30: A little hard to read. Sentences mostly 25 words. Usually 2 syllables.

• 0: Very hard to read. Average sentence 37 words. Average >2 syllables.

Jargon / Verbose High-quality learning environments are a necessary precondition for facilitation and enhancement of the ongoing learning process.

Plain English Children need good schools if they are to learn properly.

If there are any points on which you require explanation or further particulars we shall be glad to furnish such additional details as may be required by telephone.

If you have any questions, please phone.

UN guidelines 1. BE ACTIVE: Use the active voice rather than

the passive voice: shows who is responsible

2. BE DIRECT: State facts and ideas directly: use concrete rather than abstract words

3. BE DYNAMIC: Use verbs instead of nouns where possible. Verbs are dynamic and action-oriented

4. BE DIGESTIBLE: Favour short words and sentences. Present one idea per paragraph

5. BE SELECTIVE: Use appropriate language, adapted to your audience and purpose

“The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them.” Malala Yousafzai

UN(U) spelling “The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th edition, is the current authority for spelling in the United Nations.” A quick summary of common usage at UNU:

- one to nine, 10...

- analyse, labour, programme

- organisation (unless agency title is different, for example, International Organization for Migration)

- avoid Latin abbreviations: e.g. > for example, i.e. > that is

- See the UNU editorial guide for more details

Headlines and blockquotes • Use a simple and vivid title (3-5 words)

with an explanatory subtitle (10-15 words)

• Use blockquotes to highlight major / controversial ideas

Structure = inverted • Front-load articles: begin with the main

problem or position, add key info, then essential context: “Inverted Pyramid”

• Present one idea per paragraph

• Add chapter headings for chunks of text: be concrete rather than abstract, especially for international audiences

Assignment: “Translate” texts into everyday English - Take one of your own papers

- Change the title into a journalistic headline, then convert the introduction, key data and conclusion into a blog of 500 words

- Lead, if possible, with a universal problem: human survival, development or welfare > to tap into a wider audience

- Add your own insights and observations

- Share with the group!

Any questions?

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