Research purpose and significance are important for researchers to guide their studies, but they are also important to make sure the research is being disseminated properly. If the general population can’t understand the novel work being done in labs, they will not be able to utilize it to make improvements.
There are many strategies people use to explain their work to others outside of their field. One that I like to use a lot is asking the person I’m speaking with what they know about the topic and working our way up from there. I give simple explanations, and go more in depth if they want a complex explanation while making sure they understand everything along the way. Another strategy I’ve seen being used when explaining research to others is one in which the researcher will talk about their study and then have the person explain it back to them. I know this is also used in many fields outside of research as well. In addition to explaining our research to others outside of the field I think it’s also important to make sure they understand why it is important. This is where research significance comes into play. Some people may be hesitant to accept research with animals or they just might not feel that it is necessary which is why not only being able to explain your methods is important but also the purpose.
My current professional goals are to become a physician and the ability to share information is going to be extremely important. I know I will be explaining a lot of things to patients on a daily basis, from diagnostic tests to treatments to possibly participation in a clinical study. I need to be able explain the purpose of different testing and treatments as well as answer any questions my patients have about them. This is just one example of a case where I’d be speaking to people outside of my fields. I also know that patients are often recruited for clinical trials, and if I am proposing that to a patient I need to have a solid understanding of the study, how it is being conducted, any ethical implications as well as its significance. And once again, I would need to be able to properly relay all of that to a patient who more likely than not does not have prior knowledge on the subject.
Overall, in my prospective career it is not a matter of if but when I will have to explain work in healthcare to someone outside of the field. It is my responsibility to be able to articulate it in a clear and concise way to give my patients the best possible care.
