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Aug 10, 2026 Article

User perceptions of incidental exposure to science content on social media — a qualitative study

So far, incidental exposure (IE) to science information has been largely overlooked although science information can inform individually and societally relevant decisions. Semi-structured interviews with 19 social media users revealed that most participants believed IE to science information being largely algorithmically driven. Participants reported that content processing and engagement heavily depend on personal relevance and interest while content engagement is mostly passive. Participants commonly relied on trust, familiarity, and verification strategies to assess credibility as they were aware of misinformation. Although scarcely reported, IE to science information can inform decision-making. This exploratory study highlights shared mechanisms of IE across domains and provides a foundation for future quantitative research.

Volume 25Issue 62026

Aug 05, 2026 Book Review

More than dissemination: making research communication a creative practice

by Kristian H. Nielsen

This review examines the second edition of Creative Research Communication by Clare Wilkinson and Emma Weitkamp. The updated edition provides a comprehensive introduction to research communication, combining theoretical perspectives with practical guidance. It covers topics such as public engagement, digital communication, policy engagement, inclusivity, professionalisation and generative AI. The review discusses the book's contribution as an accessible and timely resource for researchers, students and communication professionals.

Volume 25Issue 62026

Aug 03, 2026 Editorial

What editors look for: preparing a JCOM manuscript for a smooth review

by Marina Joubert , Michelle Riedlinger

As submissions to JCOM continue to rise and high-quality peer reviews become harder to secure, this editorial sets out what the journal's editors look for in a manuscript at each stage of the review process. It outlines the desk-review and peer-review criteria we apply, namely: scope and relevance; novelty and originality; grounding in existing scholarship; article type and formatting requirements; methodological rigour; openness and transparency; quality of writing and referencing; and clear declaration of any AI use. Written for prospective authors, it offers practical guidance for preparing a strong submission and reaffirms JCOM's commitment, as a diamond open-access journal, to publish rigorous, relevant and diverse science communication research and practice.

Volume 25Issue 62026

Jul 29, 2026 Review Article

Sampling in science communication survey research: a literature review

by Nils Bienzeisler , Yael Barel-Ben David , Prof. Melanie Keller

Completing a questionnaire about science that comes from science likely requires at least some trust in science. Why else would one take the time to do so? Thus, the question of whom we survey is not trivial in science communication research. Therefore, this review examines how science communication researchers approach sampling in 404 quantitative survey studies published in the Journal of Science Communication, Public Understanding of Science, and Science Communication. Our findings show that they heavily rely on non-probability samples, often drawn from access panels. Sampling procedures are often vaguely described. As a consequence, we propose five steps to improve sampling in science communication research: report sampling procedures, reserve non-probability samples for experimental or exploratory work, apply probability sampling for generalizations, foster innovation, and design meaningful quotas beyond demographics.

Volume 25Issue 42026

Jul 27, 2026 Practice Insight

Early-career scientists and communication strategy: the ETIC project experience

by Giuseppe Greco

This practice insight highlights a science communication initiative involving young researchers from the Einstein Telescope Infrastructure Consortium (ETIC), part of the effort to build the Einstein Telescope (ET), a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory expected to become operational by the late 2030s. ETIC supports a feasibility study for Sos Enattos in Sardinia, Italy, as a potential host site, while also strengthening the network of laboratories contributing to ET's scientific and technological development. To address the growing interest in Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST), we developed the “ETIC STEM Engagement Platform”: an innovative tool designed strictly for internal use by the communication office, not intended for public access or as a direct outreach channel. The platform enables early-career scientists to independently and proactively share multimedia content with the communications office, emphasizing key aspects of their research activities. Most early-career researchers in the ETIC have enthusiastically contributed original and personal materials, including photos, videos, and detailed descriptions of their research, discoveries, and connections to the local environment. These largely unpublished and original resources have been compiled into a dedicated database and are leveraged by the communication office to develop innovative public engagement campaigns.

Volume 25Issue 42026

Jul 22, 2026 Essay

Navigating the waves of emotion in science communication

by Rainer Bromme , Dorothe Kienhues

In this essay, we draw on the existing literature to discuss the roles for emotions in science communication. There is a widespread perception that emotions are detrimental to quality, particularly as a threat to the objectivity of science. This paper challenges this view by discussing the potential positive and negative effects of emotions on both the producers and recipients of science communication. Additionally, we outline the motivational and heuristic functions of emotions. Finally, we consider the place and roles for emotions in different models of science communication. The essay aims to support both producers and recipients of science communication in reflecting on their own emotions and the emotions of their counterpart.

Volume 25Issue 42026

Jul 20, 2026 Essay

The promise of the story: harnessing the participatory capacity of stories for science communication

by Masoud Irani , Dr Gabi Mocatta , Prof. Paul Venzo , Alexander Hall

A substantial body of empirical research identifies participatory models of science communication as best practice for achieving social, ethical, or governance objectives, particularly where dialogue, inclusion and public influence are central. At the same time, storytelling has emerged as a widely used strategy for engaging audiences with scientific issues, helping audiences make informed decisions, and shaping community attitudes and behaviours regarding science-related topics. Drawing on narrative studies, this essay examines how storytelling contributes to audience engagement through processes such as narrative transportation, simulation, and p-responses. It argues that reading or listening to stories is not a passive activity, and that these forms of audience engagement can be understood as interpretive and affective involvement. Storytelling does not always support participation in the dialogic or co-productive sense (typically associated with participatory science communication), but it can always support some of the aims of participatory approaches, such as fostering reflection, empathy, and relevance. While remaining analytically distinct from participatory practices that involve audience input and influence, it plays a valuable and complementary role in science communication by enhancing audience accessibility and resonance.

Volume 25Issue 42026

Jul 15, 2026 Article

When government science organizations violate expectations: Humorous messages' effect on perceptions of the organization

by Ch'Ree Essary Ph.D. , Junyan Lu , Katie Cushing

An increasing number of government science organizations are inserting humour into their informational messages on social media. However, since individuals may expect government agencies to communicate in a more formal and traditional manner, does the use of humour influence perceptions of the organization? This study examines how humorous messages regarding three different wildlife science issues (climate change, human-wildlife interaction, and human-caused wildfires) influences perceived expertise, trustworthiness, and likability through parallel mediators, expectancy violation magnitude and the valence of that violation. Overall, results showed a significant, negative effect of humour on perceptions of the organization through the two mediators. However, these results varied slightly across issues. Government science organizations should be wary of making abrupt shifts in their tone on social media to avoid unpleasantly surprising their audiences in these spaces. Implications for future research regarding science humour and social media practice are discussed.

Volume 25Issue 42026

Jul 13, 2026 Review Article

Organising collaboration for strategic science communication in research projects

by Marjo Pauliina Honkaranta , Tomi Laapotti , Tanja Sihvonen

This state-of-the-art literature review advances the shift in science communication research towards an organisational perspective, moving focus from individual researchers' capabilities to the role of organisational structures and practices. It explores how temporary collaborative research organisations, such as research projects, organise their activities, and examines the link between organisational structuring and science communication. Offering a structured overview, the review identifies research gaps and contributes to systematising the field by proposing a conceptual framework that integrates the communicative constitution of organisations (CCO) theory with institutional approaches to science communication. The literature reveals three key organisational dimensions: contextual conditions, cooperation, and communication. In addition to previously recognised components of `organisationality' — actorhood, identity, and interconnected decision-making — contextual conditions are also shown to play a role in organising in temporary research organisations. The theoretically driven framework supports the defragmentation of the research field and provides a foundation for future inquiry.

Volume 25Issue 52026Transitions in Science Communication: Continuity and Change (PCST 2025)

Jul 13, 2026 Article

Shared gatekeeping: comparing relevance criteria for selecting science information

by Janise Brück

Science communication experiences major transitions: alongside science journalists, scientists, their institutions, and public relations departments increasingly select and communicate science information to publics, thereby stepping into gatekeeping roles. To better understand this “shared gatekeeping” and how different science communicators select topics, this article investigates relevance criteria that guide selection and communication decisions of science information. Drawing on 57 interviews with German-speaking science journalists, science public relations practitioners, and scientists, the study identifies and compares relevance criteria for each group based on the hierarchy of influences model. Findings reveal a wide range of relevance criteria as well as similarities and differences at individual, communication routines, organizational, and social institutional levels. Although all groups seem to be guided by similar, partly journalistic, relevance criteria (e.g., overlapping goals, topic characteristics), they operate within distinct professional contexts and thus weigh these criteria differently.

Volume 25Issue 52026Transitions in Science Communication: Continuity and Change (PCST 2025)

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