Science communication training for MLiA - writing op-eds
In 2020, Professor Hanri Mostert, who heads The South African Research Chair: Mineral Law in Africa, asked Brendon Bosworth and Dr Tali Hoffman to provide science communication training to postgraduate law students to equip them with skills for writing blogs and op-eds. The Research Chair had commissioned a set of articles on the impact of Covid-19 on South Africa’s mining sector and wanted to disseminate these articles beyond academia.
Our training focused on writing for the media and pitching op-eds to news publications. As part of the training, students wrote op-eds and received editorial feedback to help them improve their work.
Following the training, students published articles with publications such as the Daily Maverick and at the MLiA blog.
What we did
Developed a science communication training programme focused on writing for the media and blogging tailored with examples from mining and mineral law.
Took participants through the op-ed editorial process, from pitching their op-ed ideas to writing and receiving feedback on their drafts.
Taught participants how to write a pitch letter to an editor and how to approach news publications.
Rain the programme with 12 participants in 2020 and 6 participants in 2022.
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