Strive for clarity and appeal to intrinsic human interests.
Minimize jargon, or if you use a technical term, define it clearly.
Use analogies and metaphors to explain physical or biological phenomena in terms of the familiar: bathtubs, swimming pools, cooking/eating, traffic, etc.
Show photographs of people doing fieldwork, instruments, and the animals, plants, rocks, or waves you study. Be sure to explain carefully what is in the photo.
Use plots, diagrams, and complex animations sparingly, or save them for your scientific publications where they will be most appreciated.
Humor can be helpful. People may remember what you say or write better if you make them laugh.
Explain not just what you do, but why you do it. What questions are driving you? What is the larger context for your work? Why do you find it exciting?
Tell a story—all the better if it has some colorful characters or unresolved mystery.

Web Site Development

You may think the most effective and efficient EPO contribution you can make is through a web site about your research.  Before you add to the hundreds of millions of documents available on the web, consider that many “general-purpose” web sites are of very limited value to those their creators hope to reach.  If you aspire to create a web site of interest and utility to educators, we suggest paying special attention to conveying credibility and navigational ease.

Teachers look at web sites with a critical eye and want to know the basis of web authors’ authority.  We suggest you:

• Include a biography of yourself and your accomplishments.
• List contact information (your academic institution and email address)
• Link/partner with established clearinghouses for educational web sites, such as DLESE, COSEE, and BRIDGE.
• Clearly acknowledge your sponsors (e.g., your institution and funding agencies).  Doing so will distinguish your site from advocacy sites that are trying to persuade rather then inform. 
• Include citations or a bibliography of relevant sites, books, or articles that teachers and their students can consult to find additional information on the topic.
• Include a date that the site was created and when it was last updated.
• Don’t forget to spell check and grammar proof your site.  This review adds to its credibility and sets a good example for students.
• Avoid large graphics that take a long time to download.  Smaller files will allow the teacher to efficiently use the site in the less-than-optimal conditions that commonly exist in American classrooms.  Good labels on graphics are worth their weight in gold to teachers.
• Access for the disabled is important.  Make sure your site is usable via a text-based browser (Watchfire WebXact)
• Avoid requiring users to submit registration information.  This task generally raises red flags with educators and is considered an annoyance.
• Avoid plug-ins or players like Flash.  These are often filtered out from school computer use because of their close association with computer games.
• Design your site to be accessible using the most popular web browsers. Test your final site using multiple versions of web browsers.