Publishing research-based news articles: Opportunities and challenges for creating effective knowledge translation

Most universities and research institutions promote the need for researchers to engage in knowledge translation to create impact. Many include this in their organisational narratives, such as strategic plans and research statements, however, the time involved is often not calculated in academic workloads. One impactful way to disseminate research is through research-based news articles to ensure research is read widely in the media, (especially by stakeholders) and promote progress in research fields. Such dissemination improves research publicity, which means scholarly journal articles are more likely to be read by new audiences via hyperlinks provided in news articles. These improvements in readership and engagement can be measured through altmetrics, which is considered useful for funding and promotion applications. Despite the rewards, there is a dearth of research papers written about how researchers can adapt their work and utilise news sites to improve their research dissemination and individual professional and career trajectory. This paper highlights the skills required to write for various news media outlets, which is quite different to academic publishing. Thus, targeting specific research-based news publications requires allocated workload, planning and the acquisition of new skills. This discussion paper shares insights, showcasing an exemplar from an academic researcher, and discusses how institutions might better support academics’ efforts. Researchers, communication and media officers, research managers and workload coordinators will be interested in gaining insights into research impact. Finally, practical tips, tricks and tradeoffs are discussed.