Chapter 11: “Droppin’ the Mic”: Framing the Implications of Policy-Relevant Research for Maximum Impact

A colleague once told me that her approach to writing the implications section of an article was like “droppin’ the mic.” She also gave her doctoral students this advice, encouraging them to send clear and definitive messages to readers about the ramifications of their research. The “research implications” sections of journal articles are far too often given short shrift, unconvincing, or underdeveloped. At other times they can be overreaching or undeserved, as when study findings are based on weak research warrants or inconclusive arguments. But when there is the opportunity to frame implications with elocution, researchers should not shy away. Indeed, helping readers make sense of research is an important and often overlooked responsibility of the researcher.¹