1. Understanding the Press Release What Do I Need to Know about a Press Release?

2. What Is a Press Release? It is a concise description of the product that is written in a serious, professional tone. 150-200 words that include key phrases or terms easy to research. Each part is typically one sentence and words like “might,” “could,” “may,” and “seem” are avoided.

3. Why Is the Press Release Needed? It sells the product. This is the most important data. Offers a quick and easy way to understand or look at the product. Online databases are prevalent.

4. The Five Parts

5. Motivation Why should the public care about the product and its results? What impact will the product have on people?

6. Problem Statement What problem or issue were you trying to solve, fix, or reduce?

7. Approach How did you solve or reduce the problem (testing, research, building prototypes…)? How large was the extent of your study (1000 people, 100 people…)? What variables did you control, ignore, or measure ( skin type, weather, durability…)?

8. Results What did your study prove or show? Use amounts (numbers, percentages…). Avoid small amounts or rare instances. Focus on areas of magnitude.

9. Conclusion What are the implications (the effects) of your research? What will it change? Who will it help?

10. Works Cited Michaelson, Herbert. How to Write and Publish Reports. Oryx Press, 1990. Chapter 6.