Bridging Science and Community: Plain Language Summaries
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What is Research Translation?
Research translation is the process of moving scientific discoveries from the lab into the hands of the public. It makes scientific information is easy to understand and helps people understand and advocate for healthier environments.
Why We Use Plain Language Summaries
Scientific papers often use "jargon," or technical words that can be hard to understand. While some computers can make automatic summaries, those often miss important details about our specific neighborhoods and the history of where we live. For example, a computer might summarize a study on air pollution but fail to mention that the research happened in a neighborhood that has faced higher levels of industrial smoke for decades.
We create these summaries to make science open and bridge the gap between complex research and public understanding. By using clear language, we ensure that everyone has access to the same information as the scientists. This process, called research translation, helps move scientific discoveries out of the lab and into our daily lives.
Finally, we want to help you take action by explaining why the research matters. We describe the potential health effects of environmental exposures so you can make healthy choices for your family. These summaries are designed to be clear and trustworthy, providing you with the facts you need to advocate for a cleaner, safer community
How These Summaries Are Developed
These summaries are created through a partnership between our scientists and our Community Engagement Core (CEC). To make sure they work for you, we held workshops with over 100 people in Louisville, including students and community leaders.
Based on their feedback, our summaries follow these rules:
- Short and Clear: They are usually between 300 and 400 words long.
- Easy Reading: They are written at a 6th to 8th-grade reading level.
- Helpful Tools: We use headings and bullet points to make the page easy to scan .
Explore the Research
Explore the environmental health topics that interest you most.
Exposures
Health Outcomes
Place-Based Health
Research Methods
Components of Each Summary:
Definitions: We explain technical words at the very beginning so you are not confused.
Key Findings: It is a simple list of the most important things the scientists discovered, such as how our surroundings affect our heart health.
Introduction: The introduction is a short overview. It explains the specific problem the scientists were trying to solve and why they started the study.
Main Content: We use clear headers so you can scan for what matters most to you, like how your housing or your lifestyle choices can impact your wellbeing.
Conclusion and Community Implications: We end by explaining why the research matters to you. This section turns data into real-world information. It shows how the findings can help your community.