The Conversation is an independent source of news analysis and informed comment written by academic experts. It is funded by university partners with support from UKRI, Research England, and other HE and research sector organisations.
“Access to expertise through high quality, independent journalism is key to a well-functioning democracy. The Conversation aims to provide the expert insight needed to better understand current affairs and the complex issues we face. Our team of editors work with experts drawn from universities and research institutes across the world, sharing their knowledge in a way that is accessible to non-specialists. Bringing expert insights to current affairs, explaining new research findings, or shining a light on topics that deserve greater discussion, we strive to improve the quality of public debate and ultimately to help everyone make better, more well-informed decisions.”
As a member of The Conversation, UoL will have access to a number of benefits, including:
• Editorial support for academics writing for The Conversation, and the opportunity to pitch ideas to editors
• Opportunity for academics to reach a worldwide audience through Creative Commons republishing
• Impact and audience reports
• Opportunity to take part in podcasts such as The Anthill and The Conversation Weekly
• Student access to the intern programme
“I’ve written three articles for The Conversation. The first two focussed on a specific recently-published study, and the third was a more general overview of a research area in relation to a current topic (photo ID and elections). The Conversation is a great way of reaching a non-expert audience, in total my articles have been read over 45,000 times so far. Their tagline is ‘academic rigour, journalistic flair’ so it’s an excellent outlet to write for lay audiences, and The Conversation staff editors help you with that process. It’s definitely helped me to hone that particular skill – they didn’t really make any edits to my most recent article. I have been contacted by journalists requesting comment which I think might be a result of them reading my articles in The Conversation, so it also helps to build your profile.”
Dr Kay Ritchie, Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology
Training Opportunities
As part of the membership, academics and researchers are given the opportunity to attend training sessions provided by The Conversation.
Introductory Presentation - 01 June 2023 – 1400 – 1500
This session covers:
• The Conversation is, its origins and aims, what we do and why
• How editors work with academics, the lifecycle of a story
• Audience and engagement, potential benefits for academics and universities
• How to pitch story ideas to editors
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/university-of-lincoln-the-conversation-media-training-registration-635272797037
Interactive workshop – 20th September 2023 – 1400 – 1600
What this session covers:
• The Conversation is, its origins and aims, what we do and why
• How editors work with academics, the lifecycle of a story
• Audience and engagement, potential benefits for academics and universities
• How to find ideas or angles for stories, the news value of expertise
• How to pitch story ideas to editors
• The journalistic approach to writing
• Workshop for story ideas with editor feedback and discussion
Outcomes Academics come away understanding:
• How The Conversation works
• The benefits of writing for a public, non-specialist audience
• How to pitch an idea
• The sort of articles their expertise can generate
• Which elements of their research and expertise could interest the public, and how to communicate it
• Concrete next steps for their ideas
Who should attend?
Numbers on this session are limited to 20 to encourage participation and interaction. It’s an opportunity to meet an editor and is open to all academics, but those who have thought about a piece or topic they might potentially write about and come armed with ideas will get the most out of it.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/university-of-lincoln-the-conversation-media-training-registration-641244318017
“My experience with The Conversation (albeit in Australia) was fantastic. I’ve attended their training previously and written a couple of articles for them. The experience really helped me develop my writing for a non-academic audience, a skill which has been helpful for my wider knowledge exchange work. It’s also helped to raise the profile of my research and expertise, with lots of other news outlets picking up the content and various people contacting me about my research as a result. The support of the editors at The Conversation was positive throughout.”
Prof Abigail Powell, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy
The University’s membership is supported in this first year by the Lincoln Policy Hub . Academic staff are encouraged to take up this opportunity to disseminate their research to a global audience via The Conversation. This can lead wider policy impact and is a great way to make your research and expert commentary accessible to new audiences - Dr Mark Bennister, Director of the Lincoln Policy Hub
Credits:
Created with images by Anton Gvozdikov - "Audience listens lecturer at workshop" • bramgino - "Vintage typewriter"