How to Write a Lay Summary

Public engagement is a priority for funders of higher education. Funders expect universities to demonstrate the impact of research on the public, how they are meeting the needs of wider society, and the relevance and responsiveness of their research. As explained by the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, evidence is growing that there are benefits to universities, to students and staff, and to society. Methods of public engagement include consulting, collaborating and informing, using different media such as presentations, podcasts and writing for non-specialist audiences. The benefits of public engagement are particularly recognised for medical and health research:

'If we want medical and health research to be of real benefit to patients and their families then we must strive to involve them more in setting the questions to which we are seeking answers, the way in which research is conducted and, finally, how it is disseminated and put into practice. Time and again the evidence shows that service user involvement results in outcomes that are more relevant and useful.'

Simon Denegri (Chair of INVOLVE)

INVOLVE, a national advisory group funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research, reports that involving service users helps at all stages of a research project, from developing the research question through to disseminating the results.