Tips for Converting Chapters into Video Content
Transforming PhD chapters into multimedia content like YouTube videos and podcasts is a fantastic way to make your research more accessible, engaging, and impactful. Here are some tips for that transformation:
Understand Your Audience
Academic vs. General Public: Decide if you're targeting fellow researchers, students, or a broader audience.
Tone & Language: Simplify jargon and use analogies for complex concepts.
Structure Your Content
Break each chapter into digestible segments:
Intro: What’s the big question or problem?
Context: Why does it matter?
Methodology: How did you approach it?
Findings: What did you discover?
Implications: Why should people care?
Use Chapter-Based Series Format:
Turn each chapter into a mini-series:
Episode 1: Introduction to the field
Episode 2: Literature review insights
Episode 3: Methodology explained visually
Episode 4: Key findings
Episode 5: Implications and future research
Consider Your Video’s Format
What is the best way to present your content?
Explainer Videos: Use animations or slides to walk through concepts.
Talking Head: You presenting with visuals - think green screen background.
Documentary Style: Interviews, field footage, and narration.
Author Interview: 1:1 or panel discussion with interviewer or host asking questions based on your research questions.
Use Visual Storytelling Techniques
Extract the most from your text. Visual content can make excellent learning materials for wider audiences and make it more accessible.
Metaphors & Analogies: Turn abstract concepts into visual metaphors (e.g., showing a maze to explain complex decision-making).
Timelines & Maps: Great for historical or geographical research.
Before/After Visuals: Show how your research changes understanding or outcomes.
Consider your graphics and illustrations within your work, and if further graphics may need to be developed. This is crucial to consider when choosing the format of your videos.
Narrative Hooks
Start with a provocative question, statistic, or real-world problem. Avoid using jargon or ‘clickbait’ style terminology.
Example: “What if we could predict political unrest using Twitter data?”
Try 'behind the scenes’ or the ‘making of’ style narratives. This is advantageous to show your research process (fieldwork, lab setup, coding, research and writing) and adds authenticity and relatability.
Use Captions and Accessibility Features
Add closed captions for accessibility and SEO.
Consider voiceovers in multiple languages if your audience is global.