Cross-Cutting Competencies
Cross-cutting competencies span all domains. They cover essential practices that are necessary regardless of the context or communication modality.
Define Your Communication Goals.
Before crafting any scientific communication, determine your end goal by clearly stating the purpose and need. Your purpose may be to inform, teach, persuade, or influence an audience. Choose a form of delivery (written, oral, or visual) that is well-aligned with your goal, and acknowledge the standard formats, rules, and structures that are expected of that form. Focus on your end goal as you make choices about your language, format, and message.
Know Your Audience.
Define your audience and be aware of their existing knowledge (including gaps), needs, and interests. Create a mutual exchange with your audience by crafting a message that’s relevant and relatable to them. Tailoring your content to your specific audience allows them to be more invested in your message and to better understand what you are trying to communicate. This mutual exchange helps to achieve the broadest reach and impact for your science.
Practice Cultural Awareness.
Consider multiple dimensions of diversity, including differences in values, beliefs, experiences, identities, abilities, and intersectionalities. In all methods of communication, use language that is inclusive. Practicing cultural awareness influences communication with individuals and groups across the research enterprise – from working across multi-disciplinary teams, to engaging with study subjects, to disseminating research.
Tell a Story.
Use a storytelling structure that includes a beginning, middle, and end, and ensure that your story is accurate, transparent, and ethical. Storytelling allows you to capture the audience’s attention by building interest, setting a scene, and/or providing a call to action. This structure can help you compel and influence your audience including job interviewers, grant funders, and policymakers.
Invite Feedback.
Soliciting and incorporating feedback on your communication is critical for your development as a competent scientific communicator. At every stage of the process, from early preparation and practice through debriefing a final product, feedback from mentors, reviewers, peers, and/or potential users can help to refine your communication method and style.
Scientific Communication Competencies for the Research Team by Harvard Catalyst Clinical and Translational Science Center is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0