Basics of Science Communication

Darshana Ashoka Kumara

 What is science
• Science, any system of knowledge that is
concerned with the physical world and its
phenomena and that entails unbiased
observations and systematic experimentation.

• In general, a science involves a pursuit of

knowledge covering general truths or the
operations of fundamental laws.
 What is Communication?
• Communication is simply the act of
transferring information from one place,
person or group to another.
• Every communication involves (at least) one
sender, a message and a recipient. This may
sound simple, but communication is actually a
very complex subject.
• The transmission of the message from sender
to recipient can be affected by a huge range of
things.

• These include our emotions, the cultural

situation, the medium used to communicate,
and even our location.
 What is Science communication?
• refers to science related topics presented by
the public media to public or non-scientists.
• Science pervades our society today.

• Science also affects our personal activities

from health and diet to sports.
 Why communicate science?

Science communication :

⚫ Informs the broader public about issues

related to science and technology

⚫ Makes scientific expertise publicly available

⚫ Informs scientists of societal perceptions

and expectations

⚫ Can have impact on policy-making and

agenda setting

⚫ Plays a major role in the governance of

science, technology and risk

M. Barrett, 2009; E. De Sanctis, 2013; V. de Semir, 2010; K. Zelnio, 2010;

 Who benefits from science
communication?
The general non-scientist audience –

⚫ Gains knowledge of the world around them, improves ability to

make informed decisions and to use new applications derived
from science

⚫ Society benefits, because knowledge is shared and contributes

to the well-being and economic development of a people

M. Barrett, 2009; E. De Sanctis, 2013; V. de Semir, 2010; K. Zelnio, 2010;

 Who benefits from science
communication?
Scientists themselves –

⚫ Scientists benefit from greater public awareness, as it builds

public trust in their work

⚫ Can help improve existing democratic processes

⚫ Prevents the alienation of specific sectors of society

⚫ Serves the interests of the scientific community and the bodies

that finance it

M. Barrett, 2009; E. De Sanctis, 2013; V. de Semir, 2010; K. Zelnio, 2010;

 Science communicators should be able to
answer the following questions
• Who is my audience?

• What is my message for my audience?

• What medium am I going to use to

communicate my message to my audience?
 Know Your Audience
• Knowing your audience is key to
communicating successfully about scientific
topics.
• Common target audiences include the lay
public, the media, and policy makers.
• As you prepare your article, presentation,
visuals etc., keep your intended audience in
mind.
 The Lay Public
• The “lay public” is made up of all the people
who are not experts in a specific field.
• Members of the public can differ greatly in
their ages, interests, experiences, and
opinions.
• Use analogies and visuals
• Respect your audience’s prior knowledge (be
mindful of “talking down’)
• Address the points that less-specialized
audience members care about first, followed
by the interests of the more knowledgeable
audience members
• Using stories is also an effective was to engage
the public.
• Stories help the audience understand how
science works and build the audience’s trust in
the communicator.
 Keep the following points in mind as you
develop your story:
• Keep the story simple
• Focus on making the story relevant and
meaningful to your audience
• Front-load the story to keep your audience
interested
• Avoid jargon - use simple language but don’t
oversimplify
• Include the people and the process
(challenges, successes, collaborations, etc.)
 The Media
• The media is a "mediator" between scientists
and the public.
• The media is not a homogenous group:
Members of the media range from print
journalists to television broadcasters to
documentary-filmmakers.
• Effectively communicating with the media
ensures that your research reaches interested
readers, policy-makers, and other scientists.
 Policy Makers
• Scientists and policy makers have many
differences.
• Scientists can share their knowledge with
policy makers through meetings, testimonies,
and open presentations.
Suggestions for communicating with policy
makers
• Know what issues policy makers are currently
discussing and debating
• Keep your explanations simple and relevant
• Think of some actionable solutions to the problem
• Think about the problem and solution in the context of
the policy maker's community
• Be confident in yourself and what you know
• Approach a meeting as a conversation, not a
presentation
• Create a one-pager with your message and key points
 Writing About Science
• Use active verbs
• Avoid jargon, clichés, wordplays, and puns
• Use analogies and examples
• Only include critical details
• Create an outline
• Tell a story but stay true to the facts
• Spend a lot of time revising and rewriting
• Cite your sources
• Prepare to be edited