Adapting Research for the Layperson - Language as an Important Tool for Access
Have you ever read a research study and said to yourself, "Huh?" because the language is too conflated and challenging to understand? I know I have a lot.
Just because your articles, research papers, abstracts, research conclusions, or general content sounds good to you and may impress those in academia, it may not be understandable to the general public, the layperson, or those who are involved in making decisions that make research applicable, actionable, or relevant.
Various tests and frameworks assess literacy and readability among adults in Canada and the USA. Some frameworks include the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Reading Ease scores or the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, just to name a few. There are quite a few different formulas out there that assess the average literacy and readability scores of certain types of content or how it is used by the layperson.
These scores consider factors such as education level, second language acquisition, and the degree to which certain pieces of content need to be used (e.g., for everyday things on one end or to translate research findings into policy or practice on the other end). Other factors include sentence structure, length, and the use of vocabulary.
Just because a piece of research is written for academia doesn't make it accessible to the layperson who could benefit from it or even act upon it.
While my roots are in academia and using a lot of that conflated or difficult-to-understand language when working with researchers, I do have a knack for translating research so that the average layperson can understand it. This is also a big part of decolonizing and dismantling systems.
From what I understand, the average literacy levels in North America are anywhere from Grade 8 to Grade 10, sometimes Grade 11, which requires researchers or knowledge translators to carefully consider the accessibility and readability of their writing.
Have a piece of research that the general public will not likely understand? Let me have a play at it. I can take your conflated, academic language and translate it so that it's readable and applicable by the layperson, especially when higher education is a privilege not afforded to everyone because of systemic discrepancies. This is some of the kind of work that Words for Impact does.
In layperson's words: Give me your research and let me make it understandable and actionable by ANYONE.
I'll always say that academia and research are pursuits of privilege, but they often miss the mark when helping those who can actually use research to bring about systemic change.
This is why I'm such a fan of Community Based Research. Knowledge shouldn't be limited to those who can afford the education to understand it; it should be informed by, written for, and used for the people it'll actually impact.
These concepts are truly why I created Words for Impact and pour my heart, soul, and mind into it.
Anne-Marie E. Fischer, BA (Hons), M.Ed., blends her passion for the written word with her vocation to create a better world through effective communications, education, and Community Based Research (CBR).
Words for Impact is the culmination of Anne-Marie’s passions, talents, training, experience, and education. This unique company offers grant writing, research studies, research reports, impact reports, content development, brand development, communications consulting, biography/autobiography (ghost)writing, education and training materials, curriculum development, podcast script writing, journalistic articles, press releases, developmental editing, in-line editing, and fact-checking.
Words for Impact has a specific interest in serving nonprofits, not-for-profits, community organizations, Indigenous organizations, highly-regulated sectors, individuals & entrepreneurs, podcast hosts, and innovative industries.
Learn more about Words for Impact’s services here and past Impact Projects that Anne-Marie has been involved in here. Dedicated to helping you find the right words for the things that matter.
