If you are a researcher, academic, student, development sector professional or a practitioner who is keen to reach the research-based knowledge you have created to a wider audience, this course is for you.
Vast amounts of knowledge are produced by educational and research institutions through rigorous research and fieldwork. Yet, there is a dearth of access to this knowledge among non-academic communities (which includes practitioners, policymakers, and citizens) due to the language used. Researchers can bring visibility to grey literature if they engage with alternate public writing forms.
Newer platforms for knowledge dissemination across digital, print, and multimedia channels have made information from grey literature more available and accessible to lay readers. Using formats such as data stories, photo narratives, opinion pieces and infographics, these platforms can help researchers reach a much wider audience when they adopt newer writing techniques.
This course will:
* Provide an overview of data stories, photo narratives, opinion pieces and infographics produced from grey literature
* Teach methods to craft such pieces
* Explain how to pitch to media outlets
* Teach how social media can be leveraged to draw greater visibility to publications
Hi, we are glad you’ve joined this course on writing and disseminating grey literature! There are nine modules, with six core modules and an assignment module, that have been designed to help you finish this course in six to eight weeks. In each of these modules, you will discover how you can draw from your research or practice/industry work to write public-facing content such as op-eds, data stories, photo narratives, and infographics. You will learn useful skills to help you develop your writing and editing skills, pitch your ideas successfully to media outlets, and use social media to disseminate your work better. This first introductory module serves as an orientation to what you can expect from this course and how you can best approach it. Take a few moments to meet the course instructors, your peers, and also to introduce yourself.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 discussion prompt1 plugin
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 2 minutes
Welcome to the course•2 minutes
3 readings•Total 25 minutes
How to get started•10 minutes
Assignment and exercises•10 minutes
Meet the course instructors•5 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 15 minutes
Meet your fellow learners•15 minutes
1 plugin•Total 10 minutes
Pre-course survey•10 minutes
The Basics: Overview of Grey Literature and Public Pieces
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
This first module will give you an overview of what constitutes grey literature and introduce the different types of public pieces you could produce from your research. We will then take you through how you could go about structuring and outlining your arguments before you craft a public piece, and what you need to keep in mind when you pitch your work to a publication.
Overview of different types of grey literature•20 minutes
Frame an argument: Netflix or cable?•10 minutes
What must your pitch contain?•10 minutes
Conclusion, references and resources•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
Let's recap how to pitch your writing•5 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 80 minutes
Share public media platforms you read•20 minutes
Frame your argument•30 minutes
Think of public pieces from grey literature•30 minutes
Express Yourself: Crafting an Opinion Piece (Op-ed)
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module will focus on writing opinion pieces or op-eds – one type of public writing we had introduced in Week 1. We will first explain what an op-ed is and how it can be a useful resource for researchers and practitioners to communicate their work to a larger audience. We will then, in detail, cover how you can structure an op-ed and pitch it successfully, and how it varies from a piece of grey literature you may be more used to writing.
How is an op-ed different from grey literature?•7 minutes
7 readings•Total 105 minutes
Welcome to this module•10 minutes
Five questions before you write (resource)•10 minutes
A published op-ed (for reference)•10 minutes
Key elements of a strong op-ed•15 minutes
Compare and contrast: a report and an op-ed•20 minutes
Writing tips for op-eds•10 minutes
Conclusion, references and resources•30 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Pitching your op-ed•10 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 60 minutes
Develop your idea and write a lede•45 minutes
Identify and explain jargon•15 minutes
Numbers are Awesome: Using Data to Tell a Story
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module delves into another popular form of public writing – data stories. Discover what data stories are and how to build compelling narratives, choose relevant information and adapt your writing to suit this style. This module ends with an overview on how to create infographics to present data from your research.
What's included
5 videos5 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 24 minutes
Data story: what, who, when, why, where•4 minutes
Writing a data story: extracting relevant data•4 minutes
Building your narrative•5 minutes
Converting a report into a data story•7 minutes
Introduction to infographics•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 105 minutes
Welcome to this module•10 minutes
Compare and contrast: a report and a data story•25 minutes
Writing tips for data stories•10 minutes
Designing your infographic•30 minutes
Conclusion, references and resources•30 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Let's recap how to draw material for a data story•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 15 minutes
Reflecting on your fieldwork for a data story•15 minutes
Put Your Phone Camera to Work: Telling a Photo Narrative
Module 5•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module will guide you to use the visual medium of a photo narrative to tell stories. You will learn how to identify when it's suitable to opt for this style of public writing, how to plan a narrative using photographs and how to use a smartphone to click photos while you’re out on the field.
What's included
8 videos4 readings3 discussion prompts
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 26 minutes
Creating a photo narrative: researcher interview•5 minutes
Photo narratives: what, when, why•3 minutes
Creating a photo narrative: from idea to output•1 minute
Photos from the field: planned or organic?•5 minutes
Treatment: working through the visual concept•7 minutes
Putting your phone camera to work•3 minutes
Review and Selection•1 minute
Conclusion: put your phone camera to work•1 minute
4 readings•Total 65 minutes
Welcome to this module•10 minutes
Introduction to the researcher interview•5 minutes
Photo essay or photo story?•20 minutes
Conclusion, references and resources•30 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 90 minutes
Share challenges with using the visual medium•30 minutes
Share some examples of good photo narratives•15 minutes
Let's practice taking photographs!•45 minutes
Using Social Media to Drive Readership
Module 6•4 hours to complete
Module details
This module will build on the lessons covered in the previous ones. You will learn about social media and how you can use it effectively to widen the reach of your publications, find potential collaborators and connect with others working in areas of research related to yours. We will focus on Twitter and Instagram and how you can adapt your writing to suit these two platforms.
What's included
4 videos9 readings2 discussion prompts
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 18 minutes
Using social media to drive readership•2 minutes
General overview of different platforms•4 minutes
Twitter: Writing tips and ways to engage better•7 minutes
Instagramming like a pro•5 minutes
9 readings•Total 175 minutes
Welcome to this module•10 minutes
A podcast on how social media can help researchers•20 minutes
Getting to know Twitter•20 minutes
Example: journal article to tweet thread•20 minutes
Example: data story to tweets•20 minutes
Getting to know Instagram•20 minutes
Samples of Instagram stories•20 minutes
Things to remember across platforms•15 minutes
Conclusion, resources and references•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 45 minutes
Catch the attention of your followers•15 minutes
Introduce your work through an Instagram post•30 minutes
Editing Your Own Work
Module 7•3 hours to complete
Module details
The previous modules looked at how to outline, structure and build different types of public writing from scratch. To end this course, we will take you through the different stages of editing. You will learn why it’s important for you to edit your own work and how you can go about it in an organised step-by-step manner.
What's included
3 videos7 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
Editing: what, why, when, how•4 minutes
Substantive editing•7 minutes
Copy editing and proofreading•5 minutes
7 readings•Total 145 minutes
Welcome to this module•10 minutes
Substantive editing exercise (part 1 of 2)•30 minutes
Substantive editing exercise (part 2 of 2)•15 minutes
Copy editing and proofreading exercise (part 1 of 2)•30 minutes
Copy editing and proofreading exercise (part 2 of 2)•20 minutes
A chance to test yourself, and put what you've learned to work! The assignment requires you to select from amongst the three options, craft and submit your work which will be graded by your peers, and gives you the opportunity to participate in peer-learning by grading the work of your peers as well. All the best! Note that you are required to submit only one of the three options for your assignment. While you are welcome to attempt and submit more than one, the requirement for course completion is the successful completion of one assignment.
What's included
1 reading3 peer reviews
Show info about module content
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
Instructions for your Course Assignment•5 minutes
3 peer reviews•Total 360 minutes
Pitch your work to a publication•120 minutes
Craft an op-ed•120 minutes
Craft a photo narrative•120 minutes
Course Conclusion
Module 9•16 minutes to complete
Module details
Well done on completing all the modules in this course – we hope you had an enriching learning journey!
The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) is a national education institution committed to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements.
Do I need to be from a particular field of work or research to take this course?
No - this course is applicable to researchers, academics, students and practitioners in any discipline of study, research or work. While many of the examples in the course are from the field of Social sciences, what you will learn and practice are applicable across a wide range of domains.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.