Elevate the Debate

PRAISE FOR ELEVATE THE DEBATE "The Urban Institute team has written a concise, practical, must-read primer for all researchers and experts who seek to improve public policy."—ANTHONY A. WILLIAMS, CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL CITY COUNCIL AND FORMER MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, DC The Urban Institute was a 20th-century leader in data-rich, timely analysis. It has now assumed the leadership mantle for 21st-century techniques to communicate the results of those efforts."—DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ACTION FORUM AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE "This terrific book takes you through the entire process of communicating data, research, and analysis to different audiences. The Urban team shows you everything you need to know about how to reach a wider audience."—SUSAN DYNARSKI, PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN "Facts still matter. Now more than ever, we need experts—analysts, researchers, and scholars—to bring evidence to bear in our critical public policy decisions. This book is an outstanding guide to the best, most effective practices to make that happen in ways that matter and will have impact on improving outcomes across society and the economy." —DON BAER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE Learn how to make data-driven research accessible to decision makers, policymakers, and the general public Many researchers, scholars, and analysts fail to develop communication strategies that work in today’s crowded landscape of content, research, and data. To be successful, modern researchersneed to share their insights with the wider audience that lies beyond academia. Elevate the Debate helps researchers of all types more effectively communicate their work in any number of areas, from traditional news outlets to the new media platforms of the digital age. After reading this book, you will be inspired and equipped to use traditional and digital media environments to your advantage. This real-world guide helps you present your data-driven research with greater clarity, coherence, and impact. An array of practical strategies and proven techniques enables you to make your research accessible to diverse audiences, form engaging narratives, and design and implement meaningful outreach plans. Each chapter examines a specific communications strategy, such as data visualization, presentation skills, social media, blog writing, and reporter interactions. Written by expert members of the Urban Institute’s Communication department, and edited by Jonathan Schwabish, a Senior Fellow at Urban, Elevate the Debate guides you on how to use the media environment to your advantage and make a difference through policy insights and policy solutions. This valuable book teaches you how to: Develop and apply data-driven and story-focused communication Use the “Pyramid Philosophy” of rooting accessible, engaging communications products in sophisticated research. Solve problems with your research by defining goals and recommending conclusions-based actions Identify the researchers, organizations, funders, influencers, and policymakers who are most important to your goals and precisely target their information needs Employ communication styles and strategies to get your work in the hands of people who can use it and act upon it. Elevate the Debate: A Multi-layered Approach to Communicating Your Research is a must-have resource for academic researches, policy researchers, and all analysts of data-driven research.