Course curriculum

    1. Welcome and Introductory Instructions

    2. How to use this course

    3. Welcome Video

    4. Opening Reflection Survey

    5. Course Workbook (Download & Save)

    1. Module Overview: Intro to Strategic Communications

    2. Setting a Communications Goal

    3. Sample Abstract

    1. Module Overview: Knowing Your Audience

    2. Knowing Your Audience Video Introduction

    3. Module 2: Test Your Knowledge

    4. Audience Profile Instructions

    5. Audience Profile (Download, Fill in & Save)

    6. Compare and Contrast: Audience Profile

    7. Bonus Activity: Audience Influencer Map

    1. Module Overview: Foundations of Effective Messaging

    2. Foundations of Effective Messaging Video Introduction

    3. Module 3: Test Your Knowledge

    4. Message Madlib Instructions

    5. Try Your Hand: Message Madlib (Download, Fill in & Save)

    6. Compare and Contrast: Message Madlib

    1. Module Overview: Reaching Your Audience

    2. Reaching Your Audience Video Introduction

    3. Module 4: Test Your Knowledge

    4. Reaching Your Audience Resources

    5. Translate Your Pitch (Download, Fill in & Save)

    6. Collateral Planning (Download, Fill in, & Save)

    7. Visual Abstract Recorded Video

    8. Visual Abstract Template

    9. Try Your Hand: Creating a Visual Abstract

    10. Compare and Contrast: Visual Abstract

    11. Closing Reflection Survey

    12. Module 4: Provide Your Feedback!

    1. What Is “Communicating for Impact?"

    2. Optional Reading: Policy Communications Case Studies

About this course

  • Free
  • 35 lessons
  • 1 hour of video content

This course will teach researchers how to:

  • Advance their visibility and impact

  • Better understand the needs of target audiences

  • Craft compelling messages that inspire action

  • Use storytelling and visuals to better explain key findings

Meet Your Instructors

Senior Director of Communications and Marketing Lauren Adams

A former journalist, Lauren has led communications efforts in government, science, higher education, and health care for more than 10 years. She regularly leads trainings for researchers on the development of effective communication strategies and co-taught a course on the application of marketing principles to influence behavior at American University. She is senior director of communications and marketing at AcademyHealth.

Vice President, Strategic Communications Kristin Rosengren

With 25 years in health communications and public relations, Kristin has deep expertise in identifying the right audiences to drive change, understanding their motivations and influences, establishing trust, and providing timely and relevant information to spur action. She regularly draws on her experience to provide virtual and in-person communications and messaging training for researchers, advocates, and scientists. She is vice president of strategic communications at AcademyHealth.

Testimonials

“We could all use improvement on communicating research findings! This course helped me to obtain objective feedback on my own communication skills to increase my impact.”

“I now have a greater understanding of how to strategically communicate. Will be using the tools and skills learned to amplify my work.”

"This course was excellent. The information was new to me and gave me a strong framework and concrete steps to consider when communicating research findings to different stakeholders. The instructors were knowledgeable, and the course leveraged different modalities for presenting information well (live call, breakout groups, recorded presentations, etc.)."

"[As a result of this course], I will think more strategically about how to communicate my work, using the steps outlined in the training. I typically do this in a much less coherent and organized fashion, but now I have a blueprint for how to do it better."

Discover your potential, starting today