Guide: How to put out a press release at the Department of Sociology

Would you like to communicate your new research results to the media? This is the routine we have at the Department of Sociology, and some tips and things to keep in mind.

How do I put out a press release?

For peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, we can put out press releases at the same time as the article is published online (or at the very latest a couple of days after).

This means that press releases are very time sensitive. Contact our communicator at least 3 weeks before your article is published online! When your article has been accepted by the academic journal, please send the same text to our communicator. It doesn't have to be the final proof, because by the time you have the proof it might already be too late. She will then read it, ask you a few questions about it and write a press release for you. For PhD theses, the communicator will contact you.

We will try to put out the press release at the same time as it is published in the academic journal, or shortly after, in order for it to be newsworthy. 

If you contact us when the article has already been out in the academic paper for some time, it might be too late for a press release - see below what you can do instead!

If it's not possible to put out a press release - what to do instead?

Then there are other things we can do! We can write a web article that we publish on our website, on social media and send to individual journalists. The difference between a web article and a press release is that a press release is sent out directly to journalists and editors. A web article we have to distribute ourselves.

Or, we can simply send a tip to different journalists - a short summary of the findings, including your contact details. The communicator can also write a blog post about published papers.

What is a press release?

A press release is a short text on a current topic that we feed to the media. The purpose is to catch the journalists' interest and hopefully get attention for your research in newspapers, online magazines, tv, radio etc. The difference between a press release and an article on our website, is that a press release is sent out directly to journalists and editors. A web article we have to distribute ourselves, by e-mail, social media or by calling them.

Who decides if you can put out a press release? 

Press releases are coordinated and sent to the media by the central Press Office at Stockholm University. They decide what topics might be of interest to the media, how the press release should be written and when they have room in their planning. If they don't want to put out a press release about your article/dissertation, we can still publish it on our website.

In what language – English or Swedish?

Depending on the topic, the press release is written in Swedish or both in Swedish and in English. Stockholm University does generally not put out press releases in English only, though. If you do not speak Swedish, we can prepare a text in English and translate it into Swedish for you.

When can I put out a press release?

We normally release press releases on new research conducted at the Department on the following occasions:

  • When a study is published in a peer-reviewed academic journal – at the same time as, or at the very latest a couple of days after the article is published online. 
  • PhD theses – shortly after you have defended your thesis. 

Questions? Contact our communicator or drop by room B902 on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 1 pm and 6 pm.

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