Can science comics aid lay audiences' comprehension of forensic science?
        
        
            by
            
                
                
                Isabelle Baxter, 
            
                
                
                Andy Ridgway, 
            
                
                
                Heather Doran, 
            
                
                
                Niamh Nic Daeid, 
            
                
                
                Rachel Briscoe, 
            
                
                
                Joe McAlister
            
                
                
                    
                        and
                    
                
                Daniel Barnard
            
        
        
            
                
Forensic science has become a standard feature in criminal   investigations and trials. However, it can often be a challenge for   experts in courtrooms to communicate scientific evidence clearly to   lay audiences through verbal expert witness testimony alone.  The   Evidence Chamber is an interactive experience engaging public   audiences with forensic science through a mock trial. This study   explores the effectiveness of using comics to support the   understanding of forensic science by non-experts. The results   suggest comics were effective at aiding the audiences' comprehension   of forensic science evidence and in the future comic-based aids   could support juries' comprehension of scientific evidence.
            
        
        
        
            
                
                Volume 24 • Issue 01 • 2025