So you've created your online profile, tracked your impact, and started networking online; what now? Your final challenge is to get word out about your research. Making your work available Open Access is the first step to gaining wider exposure. Another, related step is to get the word out to the media and, in turn, to the general public.
Getting the word out to the media can help you gain wide exposure for your articles and, in the case of applied research, get your studies into the hands of patients, policy makers, and other populations that need it the most.
Today, we’ll cover how to connect with Media Relations at Duquesne to get your work to the mainstream media, how and why to build relationships with journalists, and how to prepare for a great media interview. If you're nervous about talking to the media, or not convinced that's the best step for you, we'll also explain a few other Duquesne-specific ways to raise your scholarly profile.
As one would expect, Duquesne's Media Relations team works with the media, acting as the university's spokespersons and promoting newsworthy information. However, MR also connects media representatives with Duquesne faculty and administrative experts in different subject areas. You can--you should--be one of these experts!
Every faculty member has his or her own faculty page on Duquesne's website. Make sure you keep your faculty page up-to-date with recent publications, projects, and grants. You might also choose to link out to your profile on Google Scholar or ORCID on this page.
As mentioned in Day 3, you can use Duquesne's institutional repository to showcase any versions of publications that you have permission to contribute. With search optimization, content in the repository floats to the top of search results and has a greater chance of reaching multidisciplinary audiences than it does in discipline-specific databases. Plus, we will always include citation information for the original publication to ensure a positive impact on your citations rates Learn more and submit your work here, or make an appointment with a librarian to discuss your questions.
Be sure to respond quickly to press inquiries. Journalists are often on deadlines that require you to respond within hours, not days or weeks. Rearrange your schedule if necessary so you can check your email and phone messages more often than normal, and make time to respond to inquiries you receive.
The Scripps Research Institute points out that you don’t have to respond immediately to all inquiries, however:
When you receive a media request, feel free to ask the reporter for background: What is the focus of the piece? Who else are you speaking with? What is the format (e.g. live or taped)? If an interview request catches you by surprise, arrange to call the reporter back so you have time to gather your thoughts and do a Google search on the reporter, outlet and other background.
Trust your gut when deciding to respond to journalists based on their reputation and the publication for which they’re interviewing you. If ever in doubt, touch base with Duquesne's Media Relations team. They have many media contacts and may be able to advise you.
Now get out there and start talking! Give your interviews, monitor the media for the final results, and give yourself a pat on the back for doing the complicated and sometimes intimidating work of speaking with the press!
After you’ve finished interviewing, you can offer to fact-check articles and be generally available for follow-up questions. But don’t expect the right to review the articles before they go to press; that’s just not how science journalism works.
Learn more about how to get ready to speak to the press:
Thank you for joining us!
