Public engagement is a priority for funders of higher education. Funders expect universities to demonstrate the impact of research on the public, how they are meeting the relevance and responsiveness of their research.
Lay summaries are short accounts of research that are targeted at a general audience. They play a significant role in most research grant applications and can also be useful in supporting wider public engagement with research. Lay summaries are particularly important for research in medicine and health, and are normally a prerequisite for grant applications made to the UK research councils and to medical charities. This guide will help you to understand what lay summaries are, how they are used and why they are important. It describes some general guidelines for writing lay summaries and explores some issues and challenges with lay summary provision.