Volume 23 • Issue 08 • 2024

Articles

Oct 28, 2024 Article
Characterization of polarized scientific digital messages: a scoping review

by Ana Maria Jucá, Matheus Lotto, Agnes Cruvinel and Thiago Cruvinel

This scoping review elucidated the characteristics of polarized scientific digital messages credited by researchers for studying the impact of content on people's perceptions. Inclusion criteria encompassed discourse and content analysis studies examining the syntactic and lexical features of polarized messages in online science communication, as well as crossover and randomized information intervention studies. Studies without sufficient detail for data extraction or that did not address message characteristics were excluded. After these exclusions, 10 studies were evaluated for the outcomes. Characteristics of polarized messages were observed to include topic dependency, single viewpoint, discredit of opposing views, emphasis on the minority and flaws of concurrent discourses, and uses of assertive statements, intensifiers, controversy, partisanship, skepticism, sarcasm, vague lexicons, and expert opinion support. As a result, we propose a system of codification for identifying and characterizing polarized discourses in science communication digital messages that can be employed in further content analysis studies.

Volume 23 • Issue 08 • 2024

Conference Reviews

Oct 30, 2024 Conference Review
Public Communication of Science and Technology Symposium in South Bend, Indiana, U.S.A.

by Marlit Hayslett and Maggie Fink

This conference review discusses the July 2024 Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) symposium held in South Bend, Indiana, the first PCST symposium held in the United States. It reflects on speakers, topics, and logistics of the event.

Volume 23 • Issue 08 • 2024

Archive