Filter by keyword: Science communication: theory and models

Publications including this keyword are listed below.

195 publications found

May 06, 2026 Article

What makes a good story? An empirical analysis of the factors that constitute “good” storytelling in the context of science communication

This study investigates how specific narrative elements, termed narrative depth, influence perceived story quality, transportation, and topic interest in science communication. Using structural equation modelling and experimental group comparisons, we examined the relationships between vivid imagery, protagonist emotions and motivations, and narrative engagement. Results showed that while narrative depth did not significantly impact perceived story quality, transportation emerged as a key mediator between perceived quality and topic interest. Additionally, women and individuals with higher education reported greater transportation and topic interest. These findings provide important insights into factors that influence the potency of stories in the context of science communication.

Mar 30, 2026 Book Review

Public engagement with science: a practical guide

by Kiran Tomas van den Brande, Emmy Vrieling-Teunter, Arnoud Theodoor Evers and Frank de Jong

Public engagement with science has gained institutional prominence while remaining conceptually fragmented and difficult to operationalise. This review evaluates Public Engagement with Science by Angela Potochnik and Melissa Jacquart as a field-level intervention addressing this condition. The book offers an interdisciplinary, pedagogically grounded framework for understanding, designing, and institutionalising public engagement. More steps regarding its theorization can be made, but the plentitude of strengths lies in conceptual integration and practical design.

Dec 17, 2025 Essay

Towards a terroir approach to science communication and its evidencing

by Marianne Achiam, Martin Grünfeld, Sabrina Vitting-Seerup, Jacob Thorek Jensen and Louise Whiteley

This essay proposes terroir as a metaphor for rethinking science communication. In contrast to dominant calls for a science of science communication, grounded in broadly replicable and generalisable methods, we suggest that communication practices are fundamentally shaped by the particularities of place, people, histories, and more-than-human relations. Drawing on the agricultural origins of terroir, we argue that good science communication is not about imposing control but about cultivating resonance within specific ecosystems of meaning. This perspective also invites us to recognise the value of intuitive knowledge, local practice, and arts-based methods, which are often excluded from dominant frameworks. As part of the research programme Addressing Sustainability with Arts-Based Science Communication, we explore co-creative, arts-based approaches that surface emotional, sensory, and contextual dimensions of sustainability science communication. Ultimately, we call for a shift: from the search for universal best practices to the careful, situated crafting of an arts of science communication.

Volume 24 • Issue 07 • 2025

Oct 20, 2025 Article

Comparing science communication ecosystems: towards a conceptual framework for cross-national research on science communication

by Liliann Fischer, Mike S. Schäfer and Hannah Schmid-Petri

This paper proposes a framework to guide cross-national, comparative research on science communication. Current research often relies on ad-hoc criteria for selecting countries (such as geographic proximity) or on pragmatic considerations (like data availability), which may limit the ability to capture broader contexts or identify the cases best suited for analysis. Drawing on the ecosystems concept, we integrate theoretical perspectives on political systems, academic systems, and media systems to identify a set of ideational and structural factors that are essential for understanding country variations in science communication: political system settings, the role of the state/market, political attention to science communication, and societal values and norms. Based on these, we suggest (and preliminarily illustrate) a typology of four ideal-types of science communication ecosystems — public-service-oriented, market-oriented, state-centred and fragmented — that could guide and should be tested in future research.

Volume 24 • Issue 05 • 2025

Sep 15, 2025 Review Article

A scoping review on the connection between research and practice in science communication

by Nuria Saladie, Carolina Llorente and Gema Revuelta

The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the available research on the relationship between research and practice in the field of science communication, identifying barriers and solutions to their disconnect. This scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Results indicate that the main barrier is the inefficient communication between the two domains, and that the main solution lies in changing some modus operandi in science communication. In conclusion, this scoping review provides novel insights to build bridges between research and practice for the advancement of science communication.

Volume 24 • Issue 05 • 2025

Aug 20, 2025 Conference Review

Science communication and its role in communication research: reflections from the 4th Science Communication Preconference at ICA25

by Janise Brück

Held one day before the 75th ICA conference, the fourth Science Communication Preconference brought together about 60 international researchers to explore the role and contribution of science communication to the broader field of communication research. The conference’s emphasis on inclusion, global perspectives, and theoretical development, as underscored by two keynotes and 23 presentations, was highlighted by the official recognition of science communication as an ICA interest group – an encouraging milestone for the field at a time when science is increasingly under pressure.

Volume 24 • Issue 04 • 2025

Jul 28, 2025 Article

Profiling the geoscience community: exploring patterns of science communication and public engagement

by Joana Rodrigues, Cecília Castro, Elsa Costa e Silva and Diamantino Insua Pereira

This research investigates how members of the geoscience community in Portugal perceive and engage in science communication, identifying distinct patterns and practitioner profiles. Statistical analysis and a clustering algorithm were used to identify communication patterns based on practitioners' communication goals, target audiences, training, and self-efficacy. The results align with expected patterns but provide new empirical evidence of the relationship between communication goals and audience targeting, offering specific data for the geoscience community.

Volume 24 • Issue 04 • 2025

May 14, 2025 Article

Science on screen: the representation of science in independent films

by Edite Felgueiras and Teresa Ruão

Cinema has long been a powerful medium for exploring and communicating scientific ideas. From its early days, film has served as both a tool for scientific documentation and a means of engaging the public with scientific concepts. While mainstream films have popularised scientific issues, independent cinema, distinct from Hollywood's commercial focus, offers more innovative and critical portrayals of science. By examining short films from the 2023 Braga Science Film Fest, this study investigates how independent films represent science and scientists. The findings reveal that while these films often depict scientists as adult white men, they challenge traditional stereotypes by avoiding common scientific tropes, like the mad scientist, and instead portray a more diverse range of scientific endeavours and behaviours, contributing to a nuanced understanding of science in society.

Volume 24 • Issue 03 • 2025

Apr 14, 2025 Article

Behind the screens: how algorithmic imaginaries shape science content on social media

by Clarissa Elisa Walter and Sascha Friesike

Based on an ethnography of the development and production of science YouTube videos – a collaboration between a German public broadcaster and social science scholars – we identify three intermediary steps through which recommendation algorithms shape science content on social media. We argue that algorithms induce changes to science content through the power they exert over the content's visibility on social media platforms. Change is driven by how practitioners interpret algorithms, infer content strategies to enhance visibility, and adjust content creation practices accordingly. By unpacking these intermediate steps, we reveal the nuanced mechanisms by which algorithms indirectly shape science content.

Volume 24 • Issue 02 • 2025 • Science Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Science Communication & AI)

Feb 10, 2025 Book Review

Bridging the gap between scientists and the public: “Science v. Story”

by Douglas A. Levy

Emma Frances Bloomfield's “Science v. Story: Narrative Strategies for Science Communicators”, presents ways to improve science communication in the face of declining public trust. Bloomfield's work highlights the power of narrative, demonstrating how anti-science movements have effectively leveraged storytelling to popularize their messages. If scientists adopt narrative strategies, they can bridge the gap between the scholarly community and the public and make complex information more accessible and relatable. Bloomfield's approach provides a roadmap for navigating the complexities of science communication in an era where many people are swayed more by personal connection than credibility or facts.

Volume 24 • Issue 01 • 2025