
Communicating research beyond the academy
About this guide
There’s a long tradition of geographers communicating research ‘beyond the academy’ - to policy, to publics, to young people, to school teachers - whether to recruit students, for career development, critical praxis and activism, or requirements of funders to document ‘impact’.
Ten years ago we published the Communicating Geographical Research Beyond the Academy guide. It sought to bring together and share collective experience and learning, from within and beyond the academy. Today, there’s ever more opportunities and modes and media with which to do this.
While many of the points made – about audience, about access, about brevity and the use of plain English – still stand, this collection covers these already familiar issues as well as bringing new perspectives to encourage readers to reflect on motives, means and methods and to illuminate examples of good practice.

Introducing the 'communicating research beyond the academy' guide
By Peter Hopkins, Newcastle University and Catherine Souch, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Writing for general audiences
By Alastair Bonnett, Newcastle University

Book festivals
By Jo Sharp, St Andrews University

Working with museums
By Cheryl McGeachan, University of Glasgow

Graphic geographical research
By Gemma Sou, University of Manchester

Academia, animated
By Laura Evans, Nifty Fox

Why zines + geography beyond the academy = 💜
By Jen Bagelman and Daniel Jones, Newcastle University

Inside radio
By Hayden Lorimer, University of Edinburgh

Doing a radio interview
By Raksha Pande, Newcastle University

Podcasts and audio
By Celia Robbins, University of Exeter

Broadcasting and narrowcasting: radio and podcasts
By Joanne Norcup, Centre for Caribbean Studies, University of Warwick and the Open University

Engaging with the arts community
By Stephen Tooth, Aberystwyth University

Theatre
By Ruth Raynor, Newcastle University

Photojournalism
By Laurie Parsons, Royal Holloway, University of London

I make maps
By James Cheshire, University College London

Working with the media
By Matthew Blacket, Coventry University

Engaging with the media
By Danny Dorling, University of Oxford

Social media
By Ella Gilbert, British Antarctic Survey

Scientific websites and blogs
By Bethan Davies, Newcastle University

School engagement: mapping home during the COVID crisis
By Alison Blunt, Queen Mary University of London

Submitting evidence to a Select Committee
By Sarah Mills, Loughborough University

The riches of an applied geography of poverty
By John H. McKendrick, Glasgow Caledonian University

Engaging with policy makers
By Anna Jackman, University of Reading

Communicating with policy makers
By Michael Collyer, University of Sussex

Engaging commercial organisations
By Alex Singleton, University of Liverpool
Table of contents
- Introducing the 'communicating research beyond the academy' guide
- Writing for general audiences
- Book festivals
- Working with museums
- Graphic geographical research
- Academia, animated
- Why zines + geography beyond the academy = 💜
- Inside radio
- Doing a radio interview
- Podcasts and audio
- Broadcasting and narrowcasting: radio and podcasts
- Engaging with the arts community
- Theatre
- Photojournalism
- I make maps
- Working with the media
- Engaging with the media
- Social media
- Scientific websites and blogs
- School engagement: mapping home during the COVID crisis
- Submitting evidence to a Select Committee
- The riches of an applied geography of poverty
- Engaging with policymakers
- Communicating with policy makers
- Engaging commercial organisations