ELEC-L0902 - Introduction to Doctoral Studies D, Lecture, 12.1.2024-17.4.2024

[one (1) page containing 4/5 paragraphs New Times Roman, font size 12, without supporting graphical content] Please check the Interdisciplinary co-created research article assignment, for motivations for the strict requirement regarding size and font.

Take this golden opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and work a little harder for this part of the three credits to give yourself the best possible 'immersion' in writing where you dive deep and work hard in order to gain the rewards of detailed person feedback on your writing performance (either face to face or via Zoom).

The individual pop-science pitch can be either

a) targetted towards a wider general audience or
b) aimed at a named editor/publishing institution/media outlet of your own choosing.

Pitching in the world of journalism has its own set of rules – unlike in academia, where there is always a requirement for supporting documentation (CV, past publications, references, etc.).

The pop-science pitch acts as a stand-alone document that displays the writer's competence, and his/her ability to capture and hold the interest/attention of readers. Remember, very many digital natives typically have poor attention spans – especially for written content that is not supported by video or images.

A one-page pop-science pitch needs a single short descriptive title that is accessible to your target audience. This title needs to be viewed easily in its entirety on a mobile handset, for instance. In this assignment, you will use "I", "my", "our", "we", 'us' when telling your personal story about the cutting-edge research you engage in and your skills as a professional researcher. Write in an accessible style that is not loaded too heavily with jargon and terminology so that it is able to impact widely.

In a sense, think of your pop-science pitch as a "succinct highlight of your story", to use the words of Huayi Wei (NEUWRITE DOWNTOWN) who has created a useful website which is available from: https://wp.nyu.edu/nyuneuwrite/2018/07/05/how-to-publish-a-popular-science-article-a-guide-for-scientists-science-students-and-nerds-in-general/

In particular, the following web page offers useful guidance: https://wp.nyu.edu/nyuneuwrite/2018/07/05/pitch-101/

So, what kind of a pitch do you feel fits your personal needs? Is it going to be more of a general pitch (For instance, a LinkedIn article?) of your research niche and your abilities as a professional researcher? Or will it be a pitch targetted towards the editor of a specific journal that you are seeking to publish your original research findings in?

Profile the backgrounds of research editors, what kind of content do they typically accept and publish? Identify the 'fit' that you are seeking with your target audience. Email communication is essential for networking with editors, so they know who you are; so that you and your content stand out from the avalanche of communications they have to endure in their daily working lives.

Please submit the exercise to MyCourses, in PDF format. Don't forget to mention your name and student number.  Name the file with your last name.

Feedback on your pitch

You will receive detailed proofreading comments on your written content submissions and face-to-face feedback.

A 30-minute individual feedback session for the pop-science pitch (15 min) and the journal paper extended abstract (15 min) is compulsory for all students taking the 3 ECTS course. You will get your individual feedback time from the course staff.

Regarding the pop-science pitch assignment (about 15 min discussion)

During your feedback session, remember to say why you chose either a) or b), explaining how you were able the get the right 'fit' with the target audience you have opted for. The value of this feedback cannot be underestimated at this time of your career. You need to be able to generate a 'buzz' around your work and be able to connect with your target audiences to get them excited about what you do.

William Martin, copyrighted 2022