scholarly journals Credibility of Scientific Information on Social Media: Variation by Platform and Presence of Formal Credibility Cues

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Boothby ◽  
Dakota Murray ◽  
Anna Polovick Waggy ◽  
Andrew Tsou ◽  
Cassidy R. Sugimoto
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Similar Information ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk ◽  
Science Information

Responding to calls to take a more active role in communicating their research findings, scientists are increasingly using open online platforms, such as Twitter, to engage in science communication or to publicize their work. Given the ease at which misinformation spreads on these platforms it is important for scientists to present their findings in a manner that appears credible. To examine the extent to which the online presentation of science information relates to its perceived credibility, we designed and conducted two surveys on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In the first survey, participants rated the credibility of science information on Twitter compared with the same information other platforms, and in the second, participants rated the credibility of tweets with modified characteristics: presence of an image, text sentiment, and the number of likes/retweets. We find that similar information about scientific findings is perceived as less credible when presented on Twitter compared to other platforms, and that perceived credibility increases when presented with recognizable features of a scientific article. On a platform as widely distrusted as Twitter, use of these features may allow researchers who regularly use Twitter for research-related networking and communication to present their findings in the most credible formats.

scholarly journals Credibility of Scientific Information on Social Media: Variation by Platform, Genre and Presence of Formal Credibility Cues

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Clara Boothby ◽  
Dakota Murray ◽  
Anna Polovick Waggy ◽  
Andrew Tsou ◽  
Cassidy R. Sugimoto
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Similar Information ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk ◽  
Science Information

Abstract Responding to calls to take a more active role in communicating their research findings, scientists are increasingly using open online platforms, such as Twitter, to engage in science communication or to publicize their work. Given the ease at which misinformation spreads on these platforms it is important for scientists to present their findings in a manner that appears credible. To examine the extent to which the online presentation of science information relates to its perceived credibility, we designed and conducted two surveys on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In the first survey, participants rated the credibility of science information on Twitter compared with the same information other media, and in the second, participants rated the credibility of tweets with modified characteristics: presence of an image, text sentiment, and the number of likes/retweets. We find that similar information about scientific findings is perceived as less credible when presented on Twitter compared to other platforms, and that perceived credibility increases when presented with recognizable features of a scientific article. On a platform as widely distrusted as Twitter, use of these features may allow researchers who regularly use Twitter for research-related networking and communication to present their findings in the most credible formats. Peer Review https://publons.com/publon/10.1162/qss_a_00151

Can Farmers of Burkina Faso Use Seasonal Rainfall Forecasts?

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Roncoli ◽  
Keith Ingram ◽  
Paul Kirshen
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Seasonal Rainfall ◽  
Seasonal Forecasts ◽  
Recent Event ◽  
Livelihood Security ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Seasonal Rainfall Forecasts

In this article we bring anthropological reflections to bear on a recent event we participated in, whereby farmers and scientists came together to discuss the possibility of applying rainfall seasonal forecasts to improve agricultural production and livelihood security in West Africa. In so doing, We also report on the research findings from the project that organized this encounter and that we have been working with for the last three years. Our intent is to highlight the complexities and challenges inherent in this process of integrating scientific information and farmers' production decisions, while also pointing to practical issues to be considered in implementing such initiatives.

scholarly journals The management of infant developmental needs by community nurses - Part 2: The development of guidelines for the support of community nurses in the management of infant developmental needs

Curationis ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Leech ◽  
N.C. Van Wyk ◽  
C.J.E. Uys
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Scope Of Practice ◽  
Developmental Needs ◽  
Developmental Care ◽  
Health Care Clinics ◽  
Research Findings

In the previous article, the author described, according to the scope of practice of registered nurses, the responsibilities oi community nurses with regard to the management of infant developmental needs in primary health care clinics in South Africa. In this article, the focus is on the development of guidelines for the support of community nurses in fulfilling these responsibilities. Before the development of the guidelines is addressed, a brief overview of the background of the study, assumptions of the researcher and the methodology of the study is given. The development of the set of guidelines (DEFINE HOPE) is set against the background of the drive to improve the quality of developmental care for infants and their families. As guidelines help to translate scientific information into statements, it could be valuable to community nurses to improve their delivery of developmental care. To gather evidence for the formulation of the guidelines, the researcher utilised the themes identified during the analysis process in phase one of the research; investigated research articles; and compared findings and recommendations of the articles with the research findings obtained in phase one. In addition to the research findings and literature review, a focus group (health care professionals represented in the case study), was utilised to assist with the final development and validation of the guidelines. The researcher adapted a number of desirable attributes for guidelines, which are indicated in the literature, to compile the criteria for validation of the guidelines. In conclusion, guidelines are necessary to support community nurses in finding “best practice” within their scope of practice to ensure higher quality of developmental care to families with infants 0-2 years.

scholarly journals Brief History of Science Translation in China

2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 1010-1021
Author(s):  
Xu Jianzhong
Keyword(s):  
General Theory ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
Literary Translation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Paper Briefly ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Similar Information ◽  
Oral Interpretation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Science Information

Abstract Science translation is a new branch of learning in China, but its practice can be traced back to about 200 BC. It includes all the practical fields but literary translation. It is the translation activity that mainly conveys science information, especially a thought activity and extra-language activity of the translator’s using target language to express the science information of source language so as to pursue the similar information. This paper briefly examines its history chronologically, and explores its gradual movement from practice to theory, from written translation to oral interpretation, from general theory to discipline studies. The history of science translation is composed of human translation and machine translation, but this paper only deals with the former.

scholarly journals Why Should Scientists be on YouTube? It’s all About Bamboo, Oil and Ice Cream

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric B. Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Visual Communication ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Ice Cream ◽  
Communication Tools ◽  
The Public ◽  
Communications Skills ◽  
Do It Yourself ◽  
Diverse Groups

Scientific information is a key ingredient needed to tackle global challenges like climate change, but to do this it must be communicated in ways that are accessible to diverse groups, and that go beyond traditional methods (peer-reviewed publications). For decades there have been calls for scientists to improve their communication skills—with each other and the public—but, this problem persists. During this time there have been astonishing changes in the visual communication tools available to scientists. I see video as the next step in this evolution. In this paper I highlight three major changes in the visual communication tools over the past 100 years, and use three memorable items—bamboo, oil and ice cream—and analogies and metaphors to explain why and how Do-it-Yourself (DIY) videos made by scientists, and shared on YouTube, can radically improve science communication and engagement. I also address practical questions for scientists to consider as they learn to make videos, and organize and manage them on YouTube. DIY videos are not a silver bullet that will automatically improve science communication, but they can help scientists to 1) reflect on and improve their communications skills, 2) tell stories about their research with interesting visuals that augment their peer-reviewed papers, 3) efficiently connect with and inspire broad audiences including future scientists, 4) increase scientific literacy, and 5) reduce misinformation. Becoming a scientist videographer or scientist DIY YouTuber can be an enjoyable, creative, worthwhile and fulfilling activity that can enhance many aspects of a scientist’s career.

scholarly journals Science communication between researchers and policy makers. Reflections from a European project

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (03) ◽  
pp. C07 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Rodari ◽  
Karen Bultitude ◽  
Karen Desborough
Keyword(s):  
Crucial Role ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
European Project ◽  
Research Outcomes ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

The SCOOP project aimed to maximise the potential for the transfer of research findings into policy using European-funded socio-economic sciences and humanities research. The project incorporated a News Alert Service to communicate policy-relevant elements of research findings to interested stakeholders. It also sought to further develop the skills of researchers to effectively communicate research outcomes to policy makers through a programme of Masterclasses. A series of evaluation surveys were held to both tailor the project outputs to the target audiences, and to measure the impact of project actions on the interactions between SSH researchers and policy makers. Both SCOOP elements were well received, with evidence of improved communication, utilisation of SSH research by policy makers, and greater awareness and proactivity on the part of the researchers. More generally, interviews and questionnaire findings demonstrated that mediators play a crucial role: various intermediaries and interpreters work between policy makers and researchers to put in context the research outcomes and convey information through dedicated channels and formalised processes as well as informal, fluid processes.

scholarly journals Variation among Mechanical Turk Workers Across Time of Day Presents an Opportunity and a Challenge for Research

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Fordsham ◽  
Aaron J Moss ◽  
Sam Krumholtz ◽  
Thomas Roggina ◽  
Jonathan Robinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Mechanical Turk ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Day Of The Week ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk ◽  
Online Sampling ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Conducting behavioral research online allows researchers to gather more data in less time than conducting studies in person. But this efficiency may sometimes have a cost. Specifically, when researchers gather data within just a few hours, their study may be subject to a time of day bias. Because participants in online platforms are generally free to complete studies whenever they want, people who take studies in the morning may be different in important ways than those who take studies at night. We explored this possibility in two studies conducted on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In both studies, we sampled participants at different times of the day and examined whether morning and evening active people differed on a variety of psychological and behavioral characteristics known to correlate with a preference for either morningness or eveningness. We found that participants active in the morning and the evening reported different circadian typologies. Additionally, we found that participants active in the morning reported more conscientiousness and less anxiety, depression, procrastination, internet compulsion, disruptive sleep behaviors, disordered eating, and neuroticism than those sampled in the evening. Study 2 demonstrated that many signs of sub-clinical behavior were uniquely high among evening oriented people and that differences between morning and evening oriented people remained robust after controlling for local time zones and day of the week. Overall, our findings have important implications for online sampling methods and indicate that time of day differences in the composition of online samples represent both an opportunity and a challenge for research.

A Recap

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Hilgard ◽  
Nan Li
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Science Of Science ◽  
Cultural Implications ◽  
Science Media

This synthesis chapter recapitulates the major themes of Part I. The chapter proposes that science communication is challenging because science is complex, because humans interpret evidence in biased ways, and because the science–media landscape is shifting. Consequently, the mere supply of scientific information alone is not likely to guide audiences to science-consistent beliefs. Instead, science communicators must learn to navigate both the cultural implications of their work and the heuristics audiences use when deciding whom to trust. Consideration must be given to scientific knowledge and the audience’s values alike. A science of science communication provides an understanding of these multiple considerations and promotes effective dialogue between scientists and the public.

scholarly journals Communicating Science through Comics: A Method

Publications ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Friesen ◽  
John Van Stan ◽  
Skander Elleuche
Keyword(s):  
General Public ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Scientific Publication ◽  
Plain Language ◽  
Flexible Framework ◽  
Scientific Results

Scientists are trained to tell stories, scientific stories. Training is also needed to comprehend and contextualize these highly nuanced and technical stories because they are designed to explicitly convey scientific results, delineate their limitations, and describe a reproducible “plot” so that any thorough reenactment can achieve a similar conclusion. Although a carefully constructed scientific story may be crystal clear to other scientists in the same discipline, they are often inaccessible to broader audiences. This is problematic as scientists are increasingly expected to communicate their work to broader audiences that range from specialists in other disciplines to the general public. In fact, science communication is of increasing importance to acquire funding and generate effective outreach, as well as introduce, and sometimes even justify, research to society. This paper suggests a simple and flexible framework to translate a complex scientific publication into a broadly-accessible comic format. Examples are given for embedding scientific details into an easy-to-understand storyline. A background story is developed and panels are generated that convey scientific information via plain language coupled with recurring comic elements to maximize comprehension and memorability. This methodology is an attempt to alleviate the inherent limitations of interdisciplinary and public comprehension that result from standard scientific publication and dissemination practices. We also hope that this methodology will help colleagues enter into the field of science comics.

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