Because You Care, You Must Share

Hello Curious Learner,

I dedicated a whole blog post to the topic of writing in qualitative research and do believe it is an incredibly important skill. Yet, not all qualitative research will end up in an academic journal. There are so many ways to disseminate research findings, including videos, infographics, art exhibits, ceremonies, and in order to choose one way, perhaps the best way, you need to consider your audience.

• Who should know about your research?

• Who can benefit from learning about your results?

• Who can make an impact in their communities by knowing your results?

• What audiences can help you spread your message?

• Where do these audiences hang out?

Research is increasingly being conducted in response to societal needs and, as a result, we need to show society why the research we are doing matters.  

In my PhD work I had the vision of creating a whiteboard video to illustrate some of my findings and reach more people. The manuscript Contrasting “back home” and “here”: how Northeast African migrant women perceive and experience health during pregnancy and postpartum in Canada was published in 2016, and about a year later we released the video Health of Migrant Women. I felt the video gave life to my findings and a stronger voice to the women who participated in my research.

I would love to hear your thoughts about the video and in what ways you have shared your work with the world.

Talk soon,

Maira