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Support for English press releases
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- Support for Research Activities
- Support for English press releases
Dissemination of research results overseas (English press releases)
In addition to press releases mainly in Japanese, which are issued by the Public Relations Division of the University, the URA of the Research Development Center of Japan (RDDO) disseminates research results to the overseas media (press releases in English).
If you would like to receive a press release, please send it to the Public Relations Department (replace @ in[at] the “media[at]adm.isct.ac.jp” email address). At that time, if you tell us that you would like to receive a press release in English, the RD Center URA will contact you to prepare a press release manuscript in English.
For more information on how to proceed with press releases to the domestic media, please refer to the Science Tokyo website for faculty and staff. Press Release of Research Results for information on how to proceed with press releases to the domestic media.
Differences between English and Japanese press releases
There is a big difference between writing press releases in Japanese and English.
Press release articles in Japanese are delivered to the journalists in charge of each media outlet, who write their own articles based on the press release articles, and the information reaches the general public through various media. Therefore, it is desirable for press release drafts to contain specific information on the content and results of the research. In contrast, press release articles in English are delivered to the journalists in charge of each media outlet, but the journalists do not write them on their own; rather, they select information that should be sent to general readers from among the press release manuscripts they receive and deliver it to the general public through various media.
Because of this difference in background, English press release articles should describe the social significance of research results, their contribution and impact on society in an easy-to-understand manner, rather than simply explaining the content of the research. In addition to these, if necessary, specific results of the research, its details, the background of the research, and detailed information about the research institution and researchers will be appended. Therefore, a simple English translation of a Japanese press release tends to be insufficient for an effective English press release.
Assistance with the preparation of English manuscripts by URA
English press release drafts are reprinted in foreign media and read by the general public. Therefore, it is necessary to create an English press release that is easy for everyone to understand and has an appropriate structure. This is why clear explanations from a third-party point of view are required when preparing manuscripts. In addition, English news articles have a particular style of expression, such as using “quotation marks” to indicate what the researcher has said.
In order to overcome these various factors and effectively disseminate research results while minimizing the burden on researchers, the RD Center takes the following measures. Specifically, we provide a service in which we have native English-speaking science writers write manuscripts for English press releases and provide the completed manuscripts to researchers. Researchers are asked to proofread and edit the manuscript using it as a springboard. Please note that it takes about one to two weeks for the science writer to write the manuscript.
In addition, images and illustrations are the second most important points in a press release after the title. Images from experiments or graphics for journal covers can be very effective in attracting the reader’s attention when the released article is published in the media. If you do not have a suitable image or illustration for your press release, we can provide an infographic that summarizes the content of your paper in one piece. Please consult us for details when you apply for a press release.
Means of distribution of English press releases
The Research Strategy Division uses the following media for English press releases
- EurekAlert (press release portal site operated by AAAS)
- Science Tokyo website
- Email distribution to relevant media
- SNS
- External Distribution Services (PR Newswire, Cactus Communications)
Effectiveness of English press releases
By distributing press releases overseas, you can expect the following effects
- Increased local recognition
- Information can be conveyed to a wider audience compared to distribution in Japanese only.
- Media coverage has the effect of increasing trust because it is an objective evaluation by a third party.
In addition, recently there has been an Altmetric score as a measure of how much attention each article has received, including from the general media.
Track record of press releases in English
This chart shows the number of research results disseminated to overseas media (press releases in English) by URAs in the Research Strategy Division of the Research and Industry Alliances Division. This shows that Tokyo Tech’s ability to distribute research results has been continually increasing as a result of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s program to promote the strengthening of research universities, which was launched in 2013. In addition, the number of English press releases issued by Tokyo Tech is one of the highest among Japanese universities.
