For over 25 years, the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) has been at the forefront of bringing the captivating world of acoustics to a broader audience through their Lay Language Papers (LLP) program. These concise, jargon-free summaries have been instrumental in making complex acoustic research more accessible to science writers, educators, reporters, and anyone curious about the realm of sound. What many authors may not know is that crafting an engaging LLP can be your secret step towards getting published in the Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics (POMA). Let’s delve into how writing an LLP can open the door to POMA and explore real-world examples that have successfully made this connection.

Authors who master the art of creating compelling LLPs often find themselves well-prepared for the world of academic publishing. These “bite-sized” papers serve as an excellent steppingstone for researchers looking to transition their research from a lay audience to a more specialized readership. The process of writing an LLP encourages the author to think about the story they are trying to tell about their research, and how to convey that story in a clear, concise fashion. That structure can then be expanded upon with more details and data to develop a POMA.

Here are real-world examples that showcase the bridge between LLPs and POMA:

1. POMA: In and out: production mechanisms in Human Beatboxing
   • LLP: Human BeatBoxing : A Vocal Exploration
2. POMA: Design and realisation of a directional electric vehicle warning sound system
   • LLP: Design of an Electric Vehicle Warning Sound System to Minimize Noise Pollution
3. POMA: Development and evaluation of windscreen designs for high altitude balloons
   • LLP: Noise reduction for low frequency sound measurements from balloons on Venus
4. POMA: Sound teaching online: Lab kits for remote and socially distanced instruction in a general education acoustics course
   • LLP: Sound Teaching Online During COVID19
5. POMA: Initial comparison of a Falcon-9 reentry sonic boom with other launch-related noise
   • LLP: Boom Buh-Boom! A brief analysis of a Falcon-9 booster landing

LLPs are not limited to text; they also serve as a convenient digital space for hosting multimedia content such as audio files, videos, or images. This multimedia content can be cross-referenced in your other published work, enhancing the depth and richness of your research presentations. For instance, author David M. F. Chapman used his LLP to provide audio examples for his article published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA): “The tones of the kalimba (African thumb piano).”

By writing an LLP, you do more than just make your research accessible to a wider audience; you also take the initial steps towards learning how to present your research effectively for eventual publication. Consider your ASA Lay Language Paper as the first building block in your journey towards a publication in POMA. It’s a strategic move that combines effective communication with broader accessibility, setting you on the path to sharing your acoustic discoveries with the world.

So, the next time you present at an ASA Meeting, seize the opportunity to write an LLP—it might just be your secret step towards seeing your research published in an ASA journal!

Read more about the LLP program in Acoustics Today and be sure to submit your own LLP in for the185th ASA meeting, Acoustics 2023 Sydney!