Before beginning the Brackenridge, I had never realized the true importance in communicating research. It’s one thing to successfully conduct research, and it is an entirely different thing to expect people to care, especially those not within your field. I frequently find myself reading legal papers or research papers in which I had to look up different terms. For research papers, it is more beneficial to use discipline specific jargon because those reading the paper are more likely to adhere to the discipline it was written for. However, to avoid losing interest among a general audience, we must find ways to communicate our research universally, using common terms and phrases. The use of metaphors is also extremely helpful.

Just within my cohort, I’ve noticed a lot of confusion among each other in terms of others’ research. I do not understand many of the terms and logic behind research in the natural sciences, just as someone studying the natural sciences may not understand terms or reasoning behind my research. I have found that once we learned how to communicate research, everyone’s research felt more important and impactful. As previously stated, it is difficult to care about other peoples’ research when you have no idea what they are referencing or talking about when they explain it. Since the beginning of my research, I have studied classical and ancient literature. These works, such as The Iliad or The Odyssey, are well known. Hence, my research becomes more relatable and impactful because of the popular nature of the works included.

Professionally, communication of research is also crucial. One major benefit of doing undergraduate research is that it becomes a great addition to a graduate or higher degree application. However, this research is irrelevant if it is not explained properly. Additionally, I want to enter Intellectual Property law. Within intellectual property law, many of my potential clients may be members of natural science disciplines or more technical disciplines like engineering or computer science. Using the skills of communicating research will assist in communicating law in general. Using metaphors and non-specific wording will help clients and those that are not legal practitioners to understand things like the matters of their case or what is going on within a courtroom or arbitration. Communication is an essential skill both within discipline and within interdisciplinary work.