Translating Scientific Research for a Non-Technical Audience
Translating scientific research for a non-technical audience can be a challenging task, as the language and concepts used in scientific papers can be quite complex and technical. However, it is an important task as it helps to make the findings of scientific research accessible to a wider audience, including policymakers, the media, and the general public.
Here are a few key steps to take when translating scientific research for a non-technical audience:
Understand the research: Before you can effectively explain the research to others, it is important that you have a thorough understanding of the study yourself. This includes understanding the research question, the methods used to conduct the study, the results, and the conclusions.
Identify the key findings: Once you have a good understanding of the research, the next step is to identify the key findings of the study. These are the main takeaways from the research that you will want to highlight in your translation.
Use plain language: When explaining the research to a non-technical audience, it is important to use plain language that is easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that the audience may not be familiar with.
Provide context: In order for the audience to fully understand the research, it is important to provide context for the study. This includes information about why the research was conducted and how it fits into the larger body of knowledge in the field.
Use analogies and examples: Analogies and examples can be useful tools when translating scientific research for a non-technical audience. They can help to make complex concepts more relatable and easier to the most important findings and key takeaways from the research, and avoid going into too much detail about methods or results that are not directly relevant to the main findings.
By following these steps, you can effectively translate scientific research for a non-technical audience, making the findings of the research accessible to a wider range of people.
It’s worth noting that the difficulty in translating research for a non-technical audience varies depending on the field of research, some topics are more complex than others, also the level of expertise of the audience is also a factor, if audience is not completely new to the subject but rather have a general understanding on the field, you might be able to use more specific terms and details but still, keeping it plain and easy to understand is the key.