Don’t forget your 37 pieces of flair: Telling a story with your data

Uncertainty, variability, error, oh my! How do I accurately and precisely communicate my research such that it passes muster with my peers, but is accessible to non-scientists? This can be a seemingly daunting challenge, but as ecologists we have a secret weapon – the environments where we work. We typically have a connection to our study systems that when expressed can draw people in. Use this connection as the story line to frame your message and augment your message with images. A photograph or infographic can often be more a more effective communication tool than a data slide.