FISH 6000: Week 10 - Popular Communication

Updated Fall 2018

Transcript

1. Week 10: Popular communication FISH 6000: Science Communication for Fisheries Brett Favaro 2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
2. Land Acknowledgment We would like to respectfully acknowledge the territory in which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, and the island of Newfoundland as the ancestral homelands of the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk. We would also like to recognize the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut and the Innu of Nitassinan, and their ancestors, as the original people of Labrador. We strive for respectful partnerships with all the peoples of this province as we search for collective healing and true reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together. http://www.mun.ca/aboriginal_affairs/
3. Popular article assignment MAX 650 words. Less is better Audience: Fishers in Atlantic Canada 1. What is the problem? 2. What will you do to solve it? 3. How will doing this improve science, management or practice of fisheries? Get a colleague to read it out loud back to you - note where they stumbled in reading. And provide general feedback. 20 min per partner.
4. Revise your draft, pair up with a different colleague and again get them to read it out loud back to you. Again, note where they stumbled, and revise (Week 11) Submit final version (Week 12)
5. Today: Popular communication 1. Email 2. Popular articles
6. Email • Over the course of a M.Sc or Ph.D, you will probably read and write more words in emails than any other medium • People’s perception of you will be shaped by your email, particularly if they haven’t met you • While positives can come out of a good email, they are finite. By contrast, nearly limitless negatives can come from a bad email
7. Email tips Attachments • Keep ‘em small • No .exe files • These can trigger spam filters. Consider alternatives (e.g. OneDrive shared file)
8. List-servs • Be mindful of who is on the list-serv • Comply with list-serv rules. No list-serv wars! Other • Never use bcc • No silly email addresses (partydude213@aol.com  no) • No read receipts (passive aggressive!) • If the email is contentious – write it out first THEN put in the “to” address, so you don’t send accidentally • If something is extremely sensitive, consider a medium other than email
9. Brevity • Keep it as short as possible. Use bullet points or numbered items as needed • Formatting may not appear the same across platforms • Make requests for information orderly and clear • Do your homework before asking. Email recipients are not your personal Google • When writing someone’s name, spell it properly • One subject per email. Multiple subjects = multiple emails • Be clear and unambiguous. Don’t be funny, particularly with people you don’t know Tone • If an email makes you angry, never respond same-day • The written word nearly always comes across harshly. Be aware of this • Never do emails, Teams, or anything written if you are in an altered state of mind (e.g. drinking, drugs, extremely bad day)
10. Tip: Use an email send delay
12. Emails are great for: • Proving that a discussion occurred, and what conclusions were reached • Resolving memory disputes • Anything where a written record would assist • Establishing the order of events (e.g. who came up with an idea?) Emails are bad for: - Building rapport (Use Skype, Teams, social media, or meet in person) - File-sharing (Use the F:, OneDrive, or Teams) - Multi-party conversation (use Teams)
13. Good practice: After a meeting, write down meeting notes. Email them to other meeting attendees. Say “This is my understanding of what we all agreed on – if you disagree with any of this please feel free to add to this” Definitely do this if you discussed anything to do with salary or reimbursement, or intellectual property issues Now… some email combat tips:
14. From: Student Your thesis is horrible and I hate you! - BadDude to: CoolPerson1, CoolPerson2, BadDude From: BadDude To: Student Dear committee, As requested I have attached my recent manuscript to this email. I look forward to your feedback! Cheers Student Hi BadDude, Wow, I am surprised by your strong reaction. I look forward to feedback from the other committee members. Student From: Student To: BadDude, CoolPerson1, CoolPerson2 Sometimes people drop other recipients from a thread – either to be rude, or by innocent accident Unless the email was clearly supposed to be confidential (and was not rude) add the original recipients back in Tip 1: Expose rudeness
15. Tip 2: One issue = one email From: Student to: Supervisor Dear boss, I have attached a copy of chapter 1 of my thesis. I look forward to your comments! Also, can I go on vacation for two weeks? Cheers Student Dear boss, I have attached a copy of chapter 1 of my thesis. I look forward to your comments! Cheers Student Subject: Thesis Chapter 1 From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Thesis Chapter 1 Dear boss, Can I go on vacation for two weeks? Cheers Student From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Thesis Chapter 1 Supervisor will almost certainly miss this Consequence: This gets ignored. Anxiety spikes – are they saying “no?”
16. Tip 3: Refresh aging emails From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Reference letter Dear boss, I am applying for a scholarship due in two weeks. Can you please write me a reference letter? Cheers Student 2 weeks passes… Supervisor didn’t do it… No scholarship. Student mad. Supervisor embarrassed. From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Re: Reference letter Dear boss, Just refreshing this thread – are you able to do this letter? Thanks Student --- Dear boss, I am applying for a scholarship due in two weeks. Can you please write me a reference letter? Cheers Student 3-4 days passes…
17. Tip 4: Re-up old emails to highlight when you’re right From: Supervisor to: Student Subject: Why haven’t you done X?? Dear student, We agreed you would do X. Why haven’t you done X??? Cheers Supervisor From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Re: Why haven’t you done X? Dear supervisor, In our last exchange, my understanding was that we would do Y, not X. I’ve copied our email thread from earlier here. Given that I have completed 90% of X, my view is it would be best to stick with X. Do you still think we should add Y? Thanks Student --- Dear student, We have agreed that you will do Y. Please do Y immediately! Cheers Supervisor Copy the old email Explain your progress and your desired outcome Give a “safety valve” State your understanding of events
18. Tip 5: Be brief!!!!!!! From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Next steps for consideration Dear supervisor, I am writing because I have a set of questions that I would like to discuss. These questions, of course, are important to me and also should be important to you as well. I am thinking – if you would permit – for me to proceed with a new plan for my second thesis chapter. This thinking, which came to me during a long walk (or was it during a shower? Who can recall when inspiration strikes?) along the harbourfront, or perhaps the park, has brought me to the inexorable conclusion that action is required. An action that, perhaps, would involve a step taken. Steps being a metaphor for actions that would result eventually in science, or rather a change to the process of science in which I am currently engaged. Thus, can we meet Tuesday at 10 AM to discuss these steps? I understand perhaps this to be a forward request, but I can promise that the insights we will gain will be of mutual benefit. In fact, I expect we will advance substantially in ways one can only imagine. I shall prepare that morning with a rigorous bout of self- study and mental invigoration. Thank you for considering. Sincerely, Student From: Student to: Supervisor Subject: Meet Tuesday to discuss new plan? Dear supervisor, I’ve been thinking a lot about my project and I think we would benefit from having an in-person meeting to establish a new direction. Three times that would work for me are below, which I see as “open” in your calendar: Times: (Length: 1 hr) Tuesday Nov 12, between 9 AM and 12 PM Wednesday Nov 13, between 9 AM and 12 PM Thursday Nov 14, between 12 PM and 4 PM. Agenda: - Review current research plan and progress to date - Decide how to structure Chapter 2 (do we do a field or lab experiment, or both?) Sincerely, Student Tip 6: Plan meetings efficiently Why? When? Agenda
19. Internal meetings Look at Outlook calendar If booking an MI room, ensure that room is in the “To” field has the room. Rooms include: - SOF Seminar Room - Mainfloor boardroom - SOT Boardroom - Thirdfloor boardroom Ensure the “Location” field is populated.
20. External meetings Use a meeting planner app I recommend: http://whenisgood.net/ Put all meetings into a calendar, such as Outlook. Include the agenda in the meeting description. Integrate E-meetings into meeting request: If someone is coming from off campus, order parking pass at mi.mi.mun.ca (PI may have to do this) Offer to meet them at main entrance
21. Activity: De-snark some emails From: VeryImportantPerson@BigUniversity.ca To: Brett.Favaro@mi.mun.ca Dear Brent, I am trying to attend the conference you’re organizing. Your website has too much content and is unclear. I would be happy to educate you on how to organize a conference, but I doubt it would have any benefit as you clearly do not care about such things. Please tell me what the deadlines are for submitting abstracts. Sincerely Very Important Professor How could you have written this differently?
22. From: AdministrativePerson@somewhere.com To: Brett.Favaro@mi.mun.ca I send out email to you for meeting, why not respond.? AdministrativePerson How could you have written this differently?
23. From: ScienceColleague@university.com To: Brett.Favaro@mi.mun.ca Brett: I was utterly confused when I saw your email. You said in the meeting request you wanted to meet on November 5, but then in writing it said November 4. Which is it? Science Colleague How could you have written this differently?
24. From: ProspectiveDelegate@email.com To: Brett.Favaro@mi.mun.ca Good day, I am writing this to convey my disappointment in the planning of such an important event during work days for the normal citizens of the public you wish would attend and would love the opportunity to have their voices heard. It is always disappointing when the intelagentia have there get togethers at times when regular Joe's and Jane's must work to provide the economic output for the economy. Perhaps in the future you will consider the detriment of your errors, when they are finally and fully revealed to you. Have a great day. conference delegate How could you have written this differently?
25. • Email can be leaked in three ways • ATIPP requests • Malevolent hacking • Human error Emails are not secure, nor 100% private
26. http://www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/ The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Office, within the Department of Justice and Public Safety, oversees the implementation and coordination of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This legislation is designed to create a culture of openness and accountability in the public sector while protecting the personal information of citizens and commercially sensitive information of businesses. It applies to all public bodies (defined in the ATIPP Act), including government departments, agencies, health boards, school boards and municipalities. The ATIPP Act does not apply to the private sector. ATIPP requests
27. http://www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/info/accessrequestform.html
29. ATIPP coordinators: http://www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/info/coordinators.html http://www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/info/atipp_coordinators_educational_bodies.pdf https://www.mun.ca/iap/requests/
33. • Email can be leaked in three ways • ATIPP requests • Malevolent hacking • Human error • Email can protect you: • Written record of important discussion
34. • Email can be leaked in three ways • ATIPP requests • Malevolent hacking • Human error • Email can protect you: • Written record of important discussion • Reply-all disasters • Inappropriate forwarding • Sending to the wrong recipient (e.g. same first name)
35. Final email thoughts • Just be mindful • Sometimes, picking up the phone is a better idea • Always take the high road, even if you feel disrespected or that you’re being baited. Confront excessively or consistently rude emailers if need be • Be organized – put important emails in the right folder • Save a folder of nice emails for days you need a pick-me-up (h/t Dr. Isabelle Côté)
36. Goal setting • Discuss with each of your teammates: • What were your goals last week? • Did you achieve them? Why or why not? • What is your goal for THIS week? Goal-setting, peer support, reflection Examination, blame, fault, bragging
37. Today: 1. Email 2. Popular articles
38. Popular writing is targeted to a general – but still defined – audience International. Bachelor’s degree + http://o.canada.com/business/globe-and-mail-not-interested-in-poor-young-people Wealthy Canadians, income > $100,000 Progressives, people looking for longer reads Right wing people
39. http://www.thetelegram.com/ Local: https://thenavigatormagazine.com/ https://theovercast.ca/ http://theindependent.ca/
40. http://www.cision.ca/trends/canadas-top-20-daily-newspapers/
41. Magazines in Canada Magazines in USA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magazines_by_circulation
42. Popular writing emphasizes logical narrative You have to tell an engaging story And… but… therefore can help frame this More: https://medium.com/@peterbakker/the-question-idea-and-but-therefore-diagram-f5d95efe3f99 Randy Olson: https://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=ERB7ITvabA4&feature= youtu.be
43. Structure Short intro ‘hook’ AND Expand on the background BUT State the problem or knowledge gap THEREFORE We will do… Concluding sentence.
44. Activity Paper Press Release Media https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.1822 https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uow-cmt060618.php https://grist.org/article/a-shellfish-diet-might-be-even-better-than-going-vegan/
45. Activity • Re-read the paper, press release, and media story (10 minutes) • As a class, discuss: • What were the main points of the paper? • What were the main points highlighted in the press release? • What were the main points in the media story? • Do you feel the message changed from paper → Media? • Were there differences in specific points made across the paper, the press release, and the media story? • Do you agree with the focus of the piece • Can you identify an and-but-therefore frame in the press release or media story? Paper Press Release Media
46. Looking ahead • In addition to the Popular Article, there is one more assignment in this course: Your “Introduction to a radio interview” • I will describe the assignment on Monday. We will record these later in the week • Short prep time but don’t worry – it will largely overlap with your popular article!