ORESD students from all fields (social and natural sciences) are welcomed to submit a research brief. This submission should serve as a brief synthesis of your research and must appeal to a broad audience.
The final publication will be available online and limited copies will be available in print.
Write a 500–750-word, approximately two-page research brief for general readers and policymakers. Use the six headings below in this exact order. Explain the problem, evidence, significance, and limits without requiring readers to open your technical paper.
Open with the real-world problem and why it matters. Define the central technical term in plain language. State the research question or study purpose. Aim for two short paragraphs.
Describe what researchers did using action verbs such as interviewed, measured, compared, tested, or simulated. Include the sample or materials, setting, timeframe, and comparison when those details affect interpretation.
Present two to four key findings as short bullets. Give important numbers a comparison, condition, or timeframe. Explain what each result means; do not list every analysis.
State the main takeaway in two or three sentences. Match the claim to the study design. Do not turn an association into causation, a laboratory test into field readiness, or an early result into proof of broad effectiveness.
Use two to four numbered points. Name who could use the findings and how. Connect each implication to evidence. Use conditional language, like “could inform”, “may support”, or “if future testing confirms”, when benefits were not directly measured. Describe the social impact of the research project.
List three to five selective sources in the Bulletin’s requested citation style, APA formatting. Choose sources that support the problem, method, central finding, or interpretation.