Reports and Articles about Communicating Science
Research shows that Americans like science and respect scientists, and have a high interest in science and technology topics. Scientists score among the most respected professionals. Yet few Americans understand science, and surprising numbers can’t answer basic scientific questions.
What America needs then, are scientists who are capable of communicating their work to non-scientists. And that’s where you come in.
Science and Engineering Indicators 2010: Public Attitudes and Understanding – Published by the National Science Board, the Indicators report provides a broad overview of public attitudes towards and understanding of science.
Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media – The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press describes the positive regard Americans have for scientists, but also their general lack of understanding about scientific topics.
Americans Support Bridging the Sciences – A public opinion study for Research!America that offers results from a national poll on American’s attitudes towards scientific professions.
Please Explain: Training Scientists to Be Better Communicators – This commentary from The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses scientists’ general inability to communicate with the general public and the implications this has on their professional success.
Science Needs Great Communicators – From the USA Today, this article describes the important role of science in policy and current affairs and the need for leadership in communicating science to the public.
Scientists Need to be More Proactive, Effective at Public Communication – Published by Oregon State University, a call for researchers to develop comprehensive strategies to reach audiences who benefit from scientific information.
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Americans respect scientists and think they are the best spokespersons for research…Eighty-five percent of Americans think scientific research is very important to today’s society.”
More effective communication is badly needed at almost every level of science…we have to get out of the ivory tower, away from our scientific jargon and work more closely with our various audiences.”
– Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Oregon State University