Writing a dissertation can be a long and challenging process, but it’s a significant accomplishment for any academic passionate about unfolding their chosen field’s secrets. However, once the dissertation is completed, it often remains tucked away on a shelf, read only by a few professors and colleagues in the mental health space.
What if, as a mental health practitioner, you could share the research you worked so hard on with a wider audience – a place where it could serve a larger purpose and truly make a difference? Repurpose your research into a blog post is an excellent way to reach a broader audience and share your completed and ongoing research with the public – whether it be about mental health disorders, behavioral disorders, or other mental health-related topics.
In this blog post, we’ll provide tips and tricks on repurposing your research for public consumption, so your hard work can reach a larger audience and make a bigger impact. But first, let us discuss why you should repurpose your excellent research in promoting mental and behavioral health.
Why You Should Repurpose Your Dissertation-Level Research
Writing a dissertation is no small feat; it requires significant research, time, and effort. Repurposing your dissertation-level mental health research may seem like an overwhelming task on top of it all.
But it’s important to remember that the information you’ve gathered can positively impact others who may not have access to the same resources or the knowledge to make sense of the data.
By repurposing your research, you can share your findings with a wider audience, open up opportunities for collaboration and discussion on a larger scale, and aid in promoting mental health awareness. This can help them manage their mental health conditions, meet mental health needs, help people understand things better, and encourage help-seeking behavior, especially those with serious mental illness.
Your work could also potentially lead to advancements in the field, provide insight into current issues, or offer information that matters. So, despite the additional work, the potential impact on your audience and the field of study make it well worth the effort.
Repurposing Your Content And Disseminating Information
Repurposing your content and disseminating information can be a highly effective way to reach a wider audience with your research. By applying these things, you can have the opportunity to bridge the gap closer between academia and the general public and promote mental health.
Here are a few tips for repurposing your content:
Identify your target audience
Determine who you want to reach with your repurposed content, whether it’s a general audience, policymakers, or a specific group of professionals. Knowing who you are writing for will help to know the best format, language, and tone of your content.
Here’s a quick list of the things you can analyze or reflect on before you plan to repurpose your content:
• Who are they? Are they school-aged children, teens, or older adults?
• What do they need to know? Children’s mental health? How to manage depression or anxiety? Or how to cope with stress during the pandemic?
• How much detail should I provide? Should I go into the research specifics or provide a general overview?
• How will the content be consumed (e.g., blog post, video, podcast)?
You can also analyze your social media insights to see which types of content your target audience is engaging with and tailor your repurposed research to those topics and formats.
Choose the right format
Consider what type of content would best suit your audiences, such as a blog post, video, podcast, social media feed post, or infographic. Here are some general tips to help you make the right choice:
- Understand your audience: You should know your target audience’s preferences when consuming content. Are they more likely to watch a video or read a blog post? Do they prefer visual aids like infographics or podcasts?
- Consider the complexity of the content: If the content you are trying to repurpose is complex and technical, you might want to consider using visual aids such as infographics or videos. This can help break down complex information into a more digestible format.
- Think about the message you want to convey: The message you want to get should also influence your chosen format. For example, if you are trying to convey a research insight that’s complex yet impactful, a video or podcast might be more effective than an infographic to retain interest.
- Choose a format that aligns with your goals: Your goals for repurposing the content should also guide your choice of format. If you want to increase engagement and shares, a social media post or infographic might be more effective than a long-form blog post.
- Remember the platform: The platform where you will be sharing your content can also influence the format you choose. For example, Instagram and TikTok are primarily visual platforms, making short-form videos and infographics ideal. At the same time, LinkedIn and Twitter are more text-based, making blog posts and articles more suitable.
Simplify the language
Avoid jargon and technical terms that may be difficult for non-experts to understand. Use plain language and focus on the key takeaways from your research.
When explaining mental disorders such as “Bipolar disorder,” for example, avoid describing it as “a complex and chronic psychiatric condition characterized by recurrent episodes of mania or hypomania and depression.”
Instead, use “a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, including periods of high energy and intense excitement (mania or hypomania) and periods of low energy and depression” as an explanation.
Use visuals
Using visuals such as graphs, charts, or images can greatly enhance the understandability of research findings, particularly for those who may not be familiar with the technical language used in the field. Graphs and charts can help to visualize complex data and trends, making it easier for readers to comprehend and interpret the findings.
For instance, a bar graph can show the difference in treatment effectiveness between the two groups. In contrast, a pie chart can depict the percentage of participants who experienced side effects from a medication.
Highlight important findings
When repurposing dissertation-level research, it is important to highlight the key findings or insights that your readers may find most relevant. This will help draw attention to your research’s main points and make them more memorable for your audience.
You could also consider summarizing your research in an easy-to-understand format. For example, a bulleted list or numbered steps are great ways to quickly convey ideas and findings without going into too much detail.
Share widely
Once you have created your repurposed content, share it widely on existing social media, email newsletters, and other channels to reach your target audience. If you think you do not have a lot of channels yet, consider collaborating with an online influencer or other content creators with an established audience.
Creating content can also encourage interaction, so be sure to respond to comments and feedback that you receive. This will help build relationships with your readers on platforms they are already familiar with, and it will increase the visibility of your research.
By following these tips, you can effectively repurpose your research and disseminate information to a wider audience, increasing the impact and visibility of your work.
Making an Impact: Repurpose Your Research for Better Mental Health
Repurposing your research for public consumption is a powerful way to impact individuals’ mental health positively. With the right approach and effort, you can create content that is accessible, engaging, and informative. Remember that with your research, you already have the content, and you have to share it with people who need it most.
Don’t let your hard work go to waste by leaving it on the shelves. Instead, as a mental healthcare provider, take the time to repurpose your research into various formats and share it widely to reach your target audience. Together, we can make a difference and help promote better mental health for all. So, take action now and start spearheading mental health!
Mental health concerns are becoming increasingly prevalent, and your research can make a real difference for those needing it the most, so much so that The National Institute of Mental Health and other organizations encourage the integration of mental health services into primary care settings and advocate for mental health parity laws, which require health insurance to cover mental health services to the same extent as physical health services. It is, without a doubt, a critical aspect that must be addressed.
If you need assistance in content repurposing, it is something that we specialize in. Reach out to our team for support so you can focus on the bigger things. It takes a village to promote mental and overall public health; you don’t have to do it alone.
We can help take your research from dissertation-level content to enjoyable and accessible content. Together, let us make a positive change in the world. Let’s start repurposing our research today!
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