Share your Research Findings
Sharing your research findings is a key step in the research process. This page focuses on preparing and packaging research outputs for sharing, including academic and non-academic approaches.
For guidance on planning knowledge translation activities, see Knowledge Translation.
Identifying and shaping key messages
Clear, focused key messages help ensure research findings are understood and used. This section provides guidance on distilling complex findings into concise, meaningful messages and applying plain‑language principles across different types of research outputs.
- Presentation: And, But, Therefore: Key Message Development – Meerab Majeed, Research Huddle
- Journal article: Lingard, L. Joining a conversation: the problem/gap/hook heuristic. Perspect Med Educ 4, 252–253 (2015).
- External Resource: Plain language is for everyone, even experts – Nielsen Norman Group
- External Resource: Plain Language Writing Checklist – The Hospital for Sick Children
- External Resource: Plain language thesaurus – ICES
Preparing and Sharing Research Outputs
Support for preparing, and publishing research in peer‑reviewed journals, including writing, reporting guidelines, open access, and journal selection.
Guidance on sharing research with non‑academic audiences, including public‑facing publishing, media, digital platforms, and research repositories.
Designing Effective Visual Research Outputs
Visual research outputs such as posters, infographics, and slide decks can support understanding and uptake of research findings. This section includes resources to support the design of clear, engaging visual materials for academic and non‑academic contexts. DFM faculty and staff may contact the KT team (dfmcomms@mcmaster.ca) for access to templates and design support.
- Presentation: How to Create A Better Poster
- Presentation: Presenting Data in Visually Engaging Ways – Casey Irvin, Research Knowledge and Skill Builder [Video | Slides]
- Presentation: Data visualization in research by Subhanya Sivajothi, Research Knowledge and Skill Builder [Slides | Video | Libguide]
- Presentation: Effective Infographics in Health Communication
- Tip Sheet: Infographic Planning
- External Resource: Strategies for Clear and Engaging Slides (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)
Impact and Evaluation
Evaluating knowledge translation
Evaluating knowledge translation activities can help demonstrate the reach, influence, and use of research, support reporting requirements, and inform future dissemination efforts.
- External Resource: Knowledge Translation Evaluation Planning Guide – Alberta Health Services
- External Resource: How to Measure the Impact of KT – JSI
Researcher Profiles and Research Impact
Researcher profiles and discovery platforms support attribution of scholarly work, improve the visibility of research outputs, and promote collaboration. These tools can be used across research activities, not only academic publishing.
- McMaster Resource: Researcher’s Toolkit: Write & Publish – Health Sciences Library
- Guidance on using ORCID to link publications and research outputs to a persistent researcher identifier.
- McMaster Resource: McMaster Experts
- A research discovery platform that presents McMaster faculty research activities, including affiliations, areas of expertise, research interests, and research outputs. McMaster Experts also maps relationships between researchers to highlight existing collaborations and support future connections.
*DFM faculty members can access full text articles from the McMaster Health Sciences Library using your MacID. To request your MacID, or if you’re having issues, please email Faculty Relations at fmappts@mcmaster.ca.
Connect with Us
For support, feedback, or to suggest a resource, email pcrc@mcmaster.ca