Guidelines for writing press releases about doctoral theses

NTNU invites all doctoral students to write a press release about their thesis work that will be sent to selected newspapers and journals before a doctorate is defended. This is not compulsory. This dissemination service was started in 1987 and is run by the Information Division at NTNU. The service is free of charge for you, your department and faculty. Examples of press releases. The press release will be distributed prior to the doctoral defence and is also a way to notify the press of the event.

WRITE IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY IN NORWEGIAN
Fill in the enclosed form. The purpose of this press release is to disseminate your work to a wide audience, so please bear this in mind when you write. Keep it short and simple. A standard press release for a doctoral thesis is about a single A4 page. The press release is to be written in Norwegian. If possible, we also want the title of the thesis translated into Norwegian, even though the thesis is in English.

PHOTOGRAPHS
You have to get your picture taken (portrait). This can be made without charge at SiT, Gløshaugen (located in the "Gamle kjemi"-building, Kolbjørn Hejes road no 4, ground floor). Contact Mr. Gunnar Eide (phone no. +47 73 59 54 76)  to make a picture shooting appointment. This photos will automatically be downloaded by the Information division.

Digital pictures taken elsewhere has to be sent to Hans G. Jürgens (see below). Use jpg-format, max. height 500 pixels.

SEND THE FORM BEFORE YOU DEFEND YOUR THESIS
The form should be e-mailed as an attachment to

Hans Georg Jürgens
E-mail: hjrgens@mac.com

Shortly after you will receive a draft press release from Mr. Jürgens. You must decide whether further checking with your superviser(s) is required. All necessary amendments are to be discussed with the journalist directly. Your press release will not be sent to the media until you have approved it.

Hans G. Jürgens phone number is +47 22 26 20 80.

As this press release arrangement is not compulsory, no further reminders will be sent. If the form arrives after your thesis has been defended we will distribute it to the above contacts.

RELEASE
Prior to your doctoral defence, the Information Division at NTNU will make the press release available to the media. Both the text and your photograph are then put on NTNU's Internet site for doctoral theses.

These are some of the external contacts who will receive the press release: Adresseavisen, Aftenposten, VG, Dagbladet, Dagsavisen NTB, Schrödingers katt (NRK Sør-Trøndelag), Newton (NRK-TV) and Verdt å vite (NRK P2).

In addition to the regular recipients, you are also invited to select local newspapers or journals that you think should get the press release. Note their names on the press release form.

EDITORIAL FREEDOM
NTNU's Information Division has no way of influencing how editors use the press release. Some newspapers take excerpts, may rewrite parts or they will call you for an interview. Also it may take some time before it appears in print in certain publications. Occasionally, such press releases never appear in a particular paper.

Questions about how to fill in the form are to be sent to:
Hans G. Jürgens, (hjrgens@mac.com)

Questions about the press release service are to be sent to:
Information division, Tel. +47 73 59 55 40, e-mail: medieseksjonen@adm.ntnu.no

Updated 4.7.06

These guidelines may be subject to amendment if the administration of doctoral degrees at NTNU is changed.

Editor in charge: Information Director NTNU, Contact information