Drawing From the Readings

As I was reviewing the readings assigned, I found a few different topics that have helped and will continue to help build my project into a stronger risk communication effort. First of all, I would like to point out how the article “A Diagnostic for Risk Communication Failures” helped me. Specifically the beginning section that talks about the separation of two languages, expert and public, improved my project because I have to speak a certain way to my fellow risk communicators that is different then how I need to communicate to my audience. Although I don’t use scientific terms in my project, I need to keep a calm and easily understandable language in mind while providing crucial information to my audience. As for presenting information in a crisis situation, I will also have to keep in mind what language I use and how understandable I present the information.

Another reading that improved my communication process included Chapter 10 from the textbook “Risk Communication.” The different methods mentioned on how to present the risk is a very important issue to confront. In my instance, I will need to use a combination of a couple of the methods. Face-to-face communication will compliment my efforts because it is a good way to incorporate questions that audience members may have. Visual presentation for effective awareness communication will keep the audience interested while learning risk management skills while they are abroad in Israel. As for using the media, I think it might be a bad idea to advertise danger in travel in an advertisement or in a newspaper. Since my audience is a select group of students traveling abroad, I don’t think it is necessary to use the media a great deal.

Finally, in Chapter 9 in the “Risk Communication” book the section on the information your audience wants really helped facilitate my message. Throughout this process my message has been broad and sometimes impossible to pinpoint but this list of information has led me to realize how to simplify my efforts. The four points of description, consequences, level of control, and exposure of information help narrow the facts and help communicate the risk more proficiently and successfully. My audience is going to need to know decisive information and they need to be able to use in an efficient manner. By making sure to touch on these topics, I will be confident in my communication efforts.

From these readings I have been helped in everything that has to do with putting together my Security in Israel message. I am informed on how to mentally prepare my message by mapping my information, how to present it to my audience, as well as determining between expert and public language. I have been able to improve my project through these tips and information provided by the readings done for class.