Key information

Tutor: Inês Perpétuo, PhD
Duration: 2.5 hours
Delivery: Live (Online, Zoom)
ECRI Credit (PGR only): 1 credit 
Audience: Postdocs, Research Fellows, Research Degree Students

Dates

There are no further sessions taking place this academic year. Course dates for 2026-27 will be available to book from late September.

Turning your carefully thought-out research programme into simple, concise English in order to be accountable to the general public has become a standard part of funding and fellowship applications, and it’s the stuff of many a researcher’s nightmares.  

But the lay summary matters. It demonstrates neatly how clear your ideas are; the funders need it to evidence which projects they have invested in; and on a practical level, your lay summary may be the only part of your application, which is read by the entire panel.

This interactive course will look at what goes in a lay summary and how to pitch your language. 

This course is designed for research staff planning to apply for a fellowship and is also open to doctoral candidates aiming for an academic career. 

Aims

  • To clarify what is a lay summary
  • To critique real-life fellowship lay summaries  
  • To consider key points to include in the lay summary and look at tools to support your writing
  • To provide strategies on how to start writing a lay summary  

Prerequisites

To make the most of this course we encourage participants to have attended: Research Vision and Fellowship Applications: where to start?

How to book

Book via Inkpath using your Imperial Single-Sign-On.

Please ensure you have read and understood ECRI’s attendance & cancellation policy before booking. 

Further Information

Participation

Please note this course is highly interactive and we expect your full participation including access to the chat and the microphone/camera.   

Please ensure you can participate fully and if you require any adjustment, please let us know in advance so that we can make the tutor/facilitator aware. 

Nettiquette for online Training
  • It is important that you are fully present and an active participant, to create a safe space for sharing and discussion.
  • For some of our online sessions, you will be required to keep your video cameras on. Please ensure prior to attending that you have a fully functioning camera and microphone. If you have any issues with your equipment, please contact us as soon as possible. If you require your camera to be off as a workplace adjustment, please let us know in advance so that we can make the tutor/facilitator aware.
  • Please ensure that you are in a private space where you can maintain confidentiality and the privacy of the other participants.
  • To maintain confidentiality, all participants are asked to agree to keep what is said within the group and not record or take screenshots/photos without permission. Pictures or quotes from the session should not be posted on social media or elsewhere without the express permission of those involved. 
Participant Quotations

What participants liked about this course:

“Seeing real lay summaries and understanding objectives, structure, etc.”

“The examples and the possibility to talk with someone outside my field."

“Learning about lay summary tools available and what is expected of a lay summary.” 

Other Resources

Other Related ECRI Courses

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Attendance & Cancellation Policy

Information about the attendance and cancellation policy for places on ECRI courses.