Section outline

  • Lecture:  

    Research Results: the Visual Display of Data

    and

    Public Medical Writing: Communicating with the Public, Policy Makers, and Funders

    Faculty: Vivek Jain. MD, MAS and Louise Aronson, MD

    Location:       Mission Hall 1400

    The first half of this session (led by Dr. Vivek Jain) will focus on preparing visually compelling tables, graphs, and figures to present research data. We will consider examples of more and less effective presentation of research tables and figures and discuss strategies for improving the format or presentation. We will also review tips for developing written text that frames and/or highlights the visual display of research data.

    The second half of the session (led by Dr. Louise Aronson) will focus on preparing articles for "public" audiences. Researchers who have the greatest impact on healthcare, patient lives, and the medical system often write both for professional colleagues and for the public, policy makers, potential funders, and health system leaders. Opinion and story-based articles are among the most effective ways to reach wider audiences and have significant, real-world impact. This session will introduce the four main types of public articles-- thought pieces, perspectives, narratives, and op-eds. We will dissect sample articles of each type to identify keys to their success and discuss how to determine the right article type, audience, and approach for your research goals.

    • Session Slides:

    • Presenting Research Data slides File
      Not available unless: You belong to Registered Students Only
    • Writing for the Public File
      Not available unless: You belong to Registered Students Only

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Watch URL
      Not available unless: You belong to a group in Registered Students Only

    • Required Reading:

      Browner WS. Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research, 3rd Ed, Chapters 5, 6, and 7

    • Optional Reading:

    • Excerpts from Edward Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Dahlstrom M. Using narratives and storytelling to communicate science with non-experts. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Aronson L. Stories as Evidence, Evidence as Stories. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Meisel ZF, Karlawish J. Narrative vs evidence-based medicine–And, not or. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Steiner JF. The use of stories in clinical research and health policy. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Assignment #3: Submit a table and a figure that present the same research data in two different ways, along with text to summarize the most important findings and describe their implications – due by noon on May 22.

    • Assignment 3 instructions and template File
    • Assignment 3