The Conversation: who we are and how we work with academics
Although The Conversation is a news platform, our editorial process is different to other media. This course introduces you to who we are and how we share academic expertise with our global audience.
The first section explains who we are and how we work: how writing for The Conversation is different from academic blogging and how we support academics to write for a non-expert audience. It provides an insight into how academic authors work with editors and what they have gained from their experience.
The second section takes you through the tools you will use on the website if you go on to pitch and write for The Conversation.
Who this course is for
This course is free for any academic at a higher education institution. Academics, PhD candidates and researchers who would like to understand how The Conversation works and how they can get involved. It is a precursor to courses on how to write shortand longform articles for and pitch to The Conversation.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the differences between an academic blog and The Conversation's articles
• Recognise the mindset needed to write for a news platform like The Conversation
• Describe how The Conversation’s editorial process works and recognise the support you will receive as an academic author
• List the potential benefits to your research and your career by writing for The Conversation
• Use the platform tools to set up your own author profile and pitch and write for The Conversation
This course is led by:
Stephen Harris Deputy Editor Stephen is responsible for managing the day-to-day publication of articles on the site. He previously spent a decade as a science and technology journalist, including five years as The Conversation's science editor, and before that as senior reporter and special projects editor for The Engineer, the world's longest running technology magazine.
Michael Parker Director of Operations Part of the team that launched The Conversation in the UK in 2013, Michael has been its environment + energy editor, technology editor, and is now membership editor/director of operations managing the membership. Previously he was for 10 years a news and features journalist covering everything from crime to culture for British newspapers and magazines, latterly Associate Editor at The Big Issue in London.