Publications

Jun 14, 2021 Article

Step by step towards citizen science — deconstructing youth participation in BioBlitzes

by Julia Lorke , Heidi L. Ballard , Annie E. Miller , Rebecca D. Swanson , Sasha Pratt-Taweh , Jessie N. Jennewein , Lila Higgins , Rebecca F. Johnson , Alison N. Young , Maryam Ghadiri Khanaposhtani , Lucy D. Robinson

BioBlitzes, typically one-day citizen science (CS) events, provide opportunities for the public to participate in data collection for research and conservation, potentially promoting deeper engagement with science. We observed 81 youth at 15 BioBlitzes in the U.S. and U.K., identifying five steps participants use to create a biological record (Exploring, Observing, Identifying, Documenting and Recording). We found 67 youth engaged in at least one of the steps, but seldom in all, with rare participation in Recording which is crucial for contributing data to CS. These findings suggest BioBlitzes should reduce barriers to Recording for youth to increase engagement with science.

Volume 20Issue 042021

Jun 09, 2021 Practice Insight

Collaboration for chemistry communication: Insights from a research-practice partnership

by Elizabeth Kunz Kollmann , Marta Beyer , Emily Howell , Allison Anderson , Owen Weitzman , Marjorie Bequette , Gretchen Haupt , Hever Velazquez , Shiyu Yang , Dietram A. Scheufele

As several recent National Academies of Sciences reports have highlighted, greater science communication research is needed on 1) communicating chemistry, and 2) building research-practice partnerships to advance communication across science issues. Here we report our insights in both areas, gathered from a multi-year collaboration to advance our understanding of how to communicate about chemistry with the public. Researchers and practitioners from science museums across the U.S. partnered with academic social scientists in science communication to develop and conduct multi-strand data collections on chemistry communication and informal education. Our focus was on increasing interest in, the perceived relevance of, and self-efficacy concerning chemistry through hands-on activities and connecting chemistry to broader themes concerning everyday life and societal impacts. We outline challenges and benefits of the project that future collaborations can gain from and illustrate how our strands of work complemented each other to create a more complete picture of public perceptions of chemistry.

Volume 20Issue 042021

Jun 07, 2021 Article

Undifferentiated optimism and scandalized accidents: the media coverage of autonomous driving in Germany

by Lena Jelinski , Katrin Etzrodt , Sven Engesser

When, to what extent and under what conditions autonomous driving will become common practice depends not only on the level of technical development but also on social acceptance. Therefore, the rapid development of autonomous driving systems raises the question of how the public perceives this technology. As the mass media are regarded as the main source of information for the lay audience, the news coverage is assumed to affect public opinion. The mass media are also frequently criticized for their inaccurate and biased news coverage. Against this backdrop, we conducted a content analysis of the news coverage of autonomous driving in five leading German newspapers. Findings show that media reporting on autonomous driving is not very detailed. They also indicate a slight positive bias in the balance of arguments and tonality. However, as soon as an accident involving an autonomous vehicle occurs, the frequency of reporting, as well as the extent of negativity and detail increase. We conclude that well-informed public opinion requires more differentiated reporting — irrespective of accidents.

Volume 20Issue 042021

May 26, 2021 Article

Learning without seeking?: Incidental exposure to science news on social media & knowledge of gene editing

by Joshua T. L. Anderson , Emily Howell , Michael A. Xenos , Dietram A. Scheufele , Dominique Brossard

Little is known about how incidental exposure to news, interpersonal discussion, and the diversity of social networks interact in social media environments and for science-related issues. Using a U.S. nationally representative survey, we investigate how these features relate to factual knowledge of gene editing. Incidental exposure to science-related news interacts with interpersonal discussion and network heterogeneity and reveals that the relationship between incidental exposure to news and knowledge is strongest among those who discuss the least. Incidental exposure could alleviate knowledge gaps between the Facebook users who are the most and least involved in interpersonal discussions about science.

Volume 20Issue 042021

May 10, 2021 Essay

Rethinking science communication as the social conversation around science

by Massimiano Bucchi , Brian Trench

In this essay the authors reflect on some recent trends in science communication research, celebrating it as an inherently interdisciplinary endeavour. Some current tendencies in science communication are more limiting, however: they present theoretical and strategic prescriptions that do not adquately reflect the variety and cultural diversity of science communication internationally. Rethinking science communication in the context of such diverse practices and cultural reorientations, the authors revise some of their own views and revisit notions of communication as conversation to propose an inclusive definition of science communication as the social conversation around science.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

May 10, 2021 Article

Dimensions of trust in different forms of science communication: the role of information sources and channels used to acquire science knowledge

by Sonia Brondi , Giuseppe Pellegrini , Peter Guran , Martin Fero , Andrea Rubin

This paper investigates the dimensions of trust and the role of information sources and channels in developing differentiated forms of science communication. The discussions from two public consultations carried out in Italy and Slovakia about controversial science-related topics were quali-quantitatively content analysed. The results show that scientific knowledge pervades diverse communication spheres, producing differentiated paths of trust in science. Each path is determined by topics (environment or health-related), information sources and channels preferred, and specific features of the multifaceted notion of trust. The contribution discusses cross-national commonalities and specificities and proposes implications for science communication.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

May 10, 2021 Article

Climate change and public perception. Citizens' proposals for better communication and involvement

by Malgorzata Dziminska , Isabel Mendoza , Giuseppe Pellegrini , Jussara Rowland

This paper explains how a participative approach was used to collect first-hand citizens’ suggestions on how to improve science communication regarding Climate Change. A public consultation involving citizens from 5 different European countries revealed various perspectives concerning their communication preferences on scientific topics. Five main themes emerged following citizens' proposals for better communication and involvement: producer of information, medium, message strategies, audiences and areas of action and engagement.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

May 10, 2021 Article

Bringing back the debate on mediated and unmediated science communication: the public's perspective

by Ana Delicado , Jussara Rowland , João Estevens

When analysing the actors of the science communication ecosystem, scholarly research has focused on the perceptions and attitudes of scientists, science journalists, and science communicators. How the public envisages the roles of science producers and mediators is mostly uncharted territory. We address this gap, by examining the results of a public consultation in Portugal concerning science communication. We show that the public demonstrates a clear preference for science communication performed by scientists, over journalists, although credibility and trust depend on multiple factors. We also ascertain that professional science communicators are mostly invisible, though the public recognises the value of `translators'.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

May 10, 2021 Article

Supporting quality in science communication: insights from the QUEST project

by Ilda Mannino , Laura Bell , Enrico Costa , Matteo Di Rosa , Alessandra Fornetti , Suzanne Franks , Claudia Iasillo , Neil Maiden , Arko Olesk , Jacopo Pasotti , Berit Renser , Joseph Roche , Barbara Schofield , Roberta Villa , Fabiana Zollo

The promotion of quality is a critical aspect to consider in the re-examination of science communication. This problem is analysed in the research carried out by the QUEST project, as featured in this paper. Engaging key stakeholders in a codesign process — through interviews, focus groups, workshops and surveys — the research identified barriers to quality science communication and on the basis of these, proposes a series of tools and supporting material that can serve as incentives toward quality science communication for different stakeholders across the fields of journalism, social media, and museum communication. And it highlights in particular the significance of training in order to promote professionalism amongst communicators.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

May 10, 2021 Article

Quality indicators for science communication: results from a collaborative concept mapping exercise

by Arko Olesk , Berit Renser , Laura Bell , Alessandra Fornetti , Suzanne Franks , Ilda Mannino , Joseph Roche , Ana Lucia Schmidt , Barbara Schofield , Roberta Villa , Fabiana Zollo

Although the need to improve quality of science communication is often mentioned in public discussions, the science communication literature offers few conceptualizations of quality. We used a concept mapping approach, involving representatives of various science communication stakeholder groups working collaboratively, to propose a framework of quality. The framework organizes individual elements of quality into twelve indicators arranged into three dimensions: trustworthiness and scientific rigour, presentation and style, and connection with society. The framework supports science communicators in reflecting on their current practices and designing new activities, potentially improving communication effectiveness.

Volume 20Issue 032021Special Issue: Re-examining Science Communication: models, perspectives, institutions, 2021 (RETHINK)

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