Writing for the Public From a Research Paper: 800 Words, One Number, No Hype

A research team reports that pupils who slept longer scored slightly higher on a memory test in a sample of a few hundred children. A few days later a news site runs: “An extra hour of sleep makes your child smarter”. The researcher is annoyed, but when asked how she explained the findings to the public, the answer is that she never wrote a word beyond the paper. When scientists do not tell the story, someone else will, and usually with too much enthusiasm.

Writing for the public does not dumb science down; it is a distinct skill with its own structure. This article shows how to turn a paper into a piece of around 800 words for a newspaper or popular science outlet, and how to prepare for a short interview.

Reverse the structure: findings first

Ask yourself: if readers read only the first sentence, what should they take away? That is your opening.

An 800-word framework

1. Opening (80–120 words): an everyday situation connected to the finding, or the finding stated plainly.
2. Why it matters (100–150 words): who is affected and how big the issue is.
3. What we did (150–200 words): the study told as a short story; how many people, where, what was measured.
4. What we found (150–200 words): one key number and one comparison that helps people picture it.
5. What we do not know (100 words): the most important limitation, stated plainly.
6. Close (60–100 words): what readers can do or should watch for.

Choose one number and make it tangible

Readers remember one number, not five. Pick the number that answers the question readers care about most, and put it in a familiar frame:

• Instead of “a difference of 0.3 standard deviations”, say “roughly equivalent to a few weeks of extra schooling” only if a published conversion supports it and you can cite it; otherwise describe it with a concrete example in test scores.
• Instead of relative percentages, use natural frequencies: “about 12 in every 100 people, compared with 8 in the other group”.

Relative risk sounds impressive (“up 50%”) but misleads when baseline numbers are small. Natural frequencies keep readers at the right scale.

Keep claims within your data

This is where researchers slip most often when writing for the public, because they want stronger sentences. A quick check:

• For observational studies, say “is linked to”, not “causes” or “helps”.
• For a specific group, name the group rather than generalising to “people”.
• For animal or cell studies, say so in the first sentence.
• For a single study, say that more evidence is needed.

Stating limits does not weaken your piece. Readers trust people who know what they do not know.

A practical note: headlines are usually written by editors, not authors. Suggest an accurate headline with your piece, and place your key limitation in the second or third paragraph, where it is least likely to be cut if the article is shortened.

Pitching an editor

Many news sites and popular science outlets accept pitches rather than finished articles. A good pitch runs 150–200 words:

• First sentence: the finding and why it matters now, for example tied to exam season or an annual event.
• Two or three sentences: what the piece will say and which readers will care.
• One sentence: who you are and why you can write it.
• A link to the original paper.

Before pitching, talk to your university's press office. They often have media contacts and can help with editing.

Preparing for a short interview

For press or radio interviews, prepare three key messages, one sentence each, and return to them when questions drift. Practise saying each in about twenty seconds. If asked about something outside your expertise or your data, say so directly: “Our study didn't measure that.” That is a professional answer, not a weak one.

Where possible, ask to check direct quotes for numerical accuracy before publication. Not every outlet agrees, but asking politely is reasonable.

What to avoid

• Opening with the history of your field.
• Words like “breakthrough” or “first ever” unless you are certain.
• Commenting outside your expertise because you were asked.
• Presenting unreviewed findings as confirmed without stating their status.

Try it with your latest paper

1. Answer “what did we find?” in one sentence with no jargon.
2. Choose one number and rewrite it as a natural frequency or concrete example.
3. Write one sentence on the most important limitation.
4. Read those three sentences to a relative who is not a scientist and ask them to repeat it in their own words.

If they get it right, you have the backbone of your article. Next, email your press office with those three sentences and a link to the paper, and ask which outlet would suit it.

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