Two Tanzanian researchers have developed a three-phase framework to help scientists communicate their findings effectively and drive real-world impact beyond academia.
The three-phase approach, formally named the ‘Publish, Tell, and Show’ (PTS) framework, was published as a conceptual paper in the Tanzania Journal of Sociology—a publication of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)—on Sunday, titled: The Publish, Tell, Show (PTS) Framework for Effective Research Communication: A Step-by-Step Approach to Maximizing Societal Impact in Tanzania.
Developed by Dr Syriacus Buguzi, a science communication specialist and journalist, and Dr Filbert Nyinondi, an informatics lecturer at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), the framework challenges researchers to integrate effective science communication as a fundamental component of their research process, according to a press release.
Dr Buguzi, who conceptualised the PTS Framework to address this critical gap, says: “It dawned on me after several encounters with researchers who struggled to understand research communication beyond traditional journal publication that something fundamental needed to be done to transition the thinking from traditional academic dissemination to broader, world-impact communication.”
“That’s how I began conceptualising a process… I started with what the researchers already do best: Publish. Then, I went further—and a year later, I figured out the next step… From Publish, it was already clear to me that the researchers needed to undergo another process. Then I added two letters, T and S, to form PTS, representing Publish, Tell, and Show.”
On his part, Dr Nyinondi said that the PTS framework is it’s a well-thought-out process, with relevant actions needed at each stage to enhance research communication.
“It’s not just a game of adding letters,” he said. “Researchers have a crucial role to play in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. By breaking down the barriers between academia and the public, and by embracing effective communication strategies like the PTS process, researchers can ensure that their valuable insights contribute to a more informed and equitable society.”
Prof Karim Manji, Professor Emeritus in Paediatrics and Child Health at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), is one of the academics who reviewed the framework. He hailed it, saying it’s a “great concept” while distilling the essence of effective research into action.
How it works
The PTS Framework defines effective research communication as an intentional, sequential, and non-negotiable completion of a three-phase PTS process:
Publish (Establish Credibility): This foundational phase involves researchers establishing the credibility of their work through traditional scholarly channels like peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences. The framework calls this the “crude phase” because it typically reaches only a narrow academic audience.
READ MORE: From Scaling Up to Integrating Tech-Centric Interventions in Tanzania’s Schools
Tell (Raise Awareness): Building on established credibility, this phase focuses on increasing awareness and engagement with wider, non-expert audiences. The PTS framework insists this phase is “not optional,” involving the translation of complex findings into simple language and leveraging diverse channels like social media, community events, and local languages to move beyond “Uncommunicated Potential.”
Show (Achieve Real-World Impact): Described as “Impactful Communication,” this is the ultimate goal. It involves translating findings into real-world impact by demonstrating direct relevance for policy, practice, and societal well-being through storytelling, advocacy, and strategic partnerships, thereby influencing decision-making and driving social change.
Working with the media
Dr Buguzi, the lead author of the farmwork, acknowledged the hurdles he encountered while working with researchers for their communications work, noting that many researchers he meets are pretty sceptical about working with the media.
“They often worry that putting their science out in popular outlets might sound too much like activism,” said Buguzi, who co-founded ResearchCOM, a research communication firm operating in Tanzania. “That scepticism has created a huge gap between the researchers who generate all this amazing knowledge and the rest of the public.”
The PTS Framework, although currently at a conceptual stage, it has the “potential to become a benchmark model for assessing progress from traditional dissemination to real-world impact,” he says.
READ MORE: Journalism in the Brave New World: Let Us Choose a Future Where AI Serves Truth, Not Power
It calls for researchers to start their work expecting their findings to have an impact, building that expectation into their research from day one.
“This is exactly what drove me to come up with the PTS process, aiming to spark a mindset shift from just academic publishing to much broader public engagement,” Buguzi said.
The authors are now working on the PTS Framework’s scalability into a model, its adaptability within Tanzania’s research ecosystem and academia, and its relevance in the evolving Science Communication landscape and digital media.
