To make a difference in todays policy ecosystem, researcher scholars must think beyond the academic journal. So too must critical thinkers recommend specific actions to be taken within their data-driven research. This book teaches researchers, scholars, and practitioners how to navigate the media and policy landscape by making their insights accessible to diverse audiences, forming a narrative, developing an outreach plan, and putting it into action. Each chapter focuses on a different communications strategy: data visualization; presentation skills; social media; blog writing; interacting with reporters; and developing a cohesive communication strategy. Elevate the Debate will help readers gain the skills and tools they need to communicate in modern, sophisticated ways.Many researchers and scholars resist the idea of developing a communication strategy, either thinking that someone else will do it, their work will be naturally discovered, or that it doesnt matter. Developing a communication strategy--and implementing that strategy--recognizes the importance of making research accessible to a wider audience, decision makers, and policymakers--even the public.   Elevate the Debate will help researchers of all types more effectively communicate their work. Elevate the Debate is written in a practical voice and provides a starting roadmap for researchers and organizations interested in helping their research have a greater impact. In this book, readers will learn practical strategies and skills that will enable them to communicate their work to their desired audiences.Readers will understand: *  Why research should influence an ecosystem of learns well beyond the academic journal. The book explores the why and how of disseminating research to a wider audience.* Why researchers can make a difference through development of policy insights and policy solutions, seeing new communication styles and strategies demonstrated by other analysts and researchers who impact the world with their data-driven and story-focused communication efforts.* Which policy makers and audiences matter most and how to target their information needs with precision.* How to engage diverse audiences so they pay attention to the critical takeaways from your research, treating each audience subset as its own special challenge.* How to problem solve with your research, by defining its goals and recommending optional courses of actions based on its conclusions.* The Pyramid Philosophy of deploying different communication devices -white papers, reports, blog posts, social media, and other tactics--based on size the audience.