scholarly journals Rainbow colors distort and mislead research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Stoelzle ◽  
Lina Stein
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Sequential Data ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
More Care ◽  
The Media ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Data Variation ◽  
Color Map ◽  
Rainbow Color

Abstract. Nowadays color in scientific visualizations is standard and extensively used to group, highlight or delineate different parts of data in visualizations. The rainbow color map (also known as jet color map) is famous for its appealing use of the full visual spectrum with impressive changes in chroma and luminance. Beside attracting attention, science has for decades criticized the rainbow color map for its non-linear and erratic change of hue and luminance along the data variation. The missed uniformity causes a misrepresentation of data values and flaws in science communication. The rainbow color map is scientifically incorrect and hardly decodable for a considerable number of people due to color-vision deficiency (CVD) or other vision impairments. Here we aim to raise awareness how widely used the rainbow color maps still is in hydrology. To this end we perform a paper survey scanning for color issues in around 1000 scientific publications in three different journals including papers published between 2005 and 2020. In this survey, depending on the journal, 16–24 % of the publications have a rainbow color map and around the same ratio of papers (18–29 %) use red-green elements often in a way that color is the only possibility to decode the visualized groups of data. Given these shares, there is a 99.6 % chance to pick at least one visual problematic publication in 10 randomly chosen papers from our survey. To overcome the use of the rainbow color maps in science, we propose some tools and techniques focusing on improvement of typical visualization types in hydrological science. Consequently, color should be used with more care to highlight most important aspects of a visualization and the identification of correct data types such as categorical or sequential data is essential to pick appropriate color maps. We give guidance how to avoid, improve and trust and color in a proper and scientific way. Finally, we sketch a way to improve the communication of rainbow flaws between different status groups in science, publishers, and the media.

scholarly journals Rainbow color map distorts and misleads research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 4549-4565
Author(s):  
Michael Stoelzle ◽  
Lina Stein
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Color Vision Deficiency ◽  
Paper Survey ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Data Variation ◽  
Hydrological Science ◽  
Color Map ◽  
Different Parts ◽  
Rainbow Color

Abstract. Nowadays color in scientific visualizations is standard and extensively used to group, highlight or delineate different parts of data in visualizations. The rainbow color map (also known as jet color map) is famous for its appealing use of the full visual spectrum with impressive changes in chroma and luminance. Besides attracting attention, science has for decades criticized the rainbow color map for its non-linear and erratic change of hue and luminance along the data variation. The missed uniformity causes a misrepresentation of data values and flaws in science communication. The rainbow color map is scientifically incorrect and hardly decodable for a considerable number of people due to color vision deficiency (CVD) or other vision impairments. Here we aim to raise awareness of how widely used the rainbow color map still is in hydrology. To this end, we perform a paper survey scanning for color issues in around 1000 scientific publications in three different journals including papers published between 2005 and 2020. In this survey, depending on the journal, 16 %–24 % of the publications have a rainbow color map and around the same ratio of papers (18 %–29 %) uses red–green elements often in a way that color is the only possibility to decode the visualized groups of data. Given these shares, there is a 99.6 % chance to pick at least one visual problematic publication in 10 randomly chosen papers from our survey. To overcome the use of the rainbow color maps in science, we propose some tools and techniques focusing on improvement of typical visualization types in hydrological science. We give guidance on how to avoid, improve and trust color in a proper and scientific way. Finally, we outline an approach how the rainbow color map flaws should be communicated across different status groups in science.

scholarly journals Contribución de la comunicación institucional de la investigación a su impacto y visibilidad. Caso de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco-Javier Alonso-Flores ◽  
Daniela De-Filippo ◽  
Antonio-Eleazar Serrano-López ◽  
Carolina Moreno-Castro
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Press Releases ◽  
Redes Sociales ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Carlos Iii ◽  
Medios De Comunicacion ◽  
Journal Impact

Institutional offices for the communication and dissemination of science are gaining in importance at Spanish universities, and their activities can contribute to increasing the visibility and reputation of researchers. The objective of this study is to analyze the relations between the institutional communication of research results to the public and the impact and academic visibility of scientific papers. For this purpose, science communication and dissemination undertaken through press releases on R+D+i results from the Science Culture and Innovation Unit (SCIU) at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) were selected as a case study. This SCIU was chosen because it has published yearly reports for more than a decade on the impact in the media of its press releases. Press dossiers of the last five years available (2014-2018) were examined, and a database was created of the citations received by texts published in scientific journals indexed in the Web of Science as well as their mentions on social networks through the company Altmetric.com. After that, this information was statistically analyzed. The main results show that the journal impact index is important for obtaining academic citations or appearing in Twitter conversations. However, the influence of the journal impact factor turns out to be lower when it comes to popularizing scientific publications in the media. Furthermore, the statistical evidence points to the fact that scientific publications disseminated through the SCIU receive proportionally more citations than research that has not been disseminated through the institutional channel. Resumen Las oficinas de comunicación y divulgación pública de la ciencia están ganando importancia en las universidades españolas y las actividades que realizan pueden contribuir al incremento de la visibilidad y reputación del personal de investigación. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las relaciones entre la comunicación institucional pública de los resultados de investigación y el impacto y visibilidad académica de las publicaciones científicas. Para ello, se ha seleccionado como estudio de caso la comunicación y diseminación que realiza la Unidad de Cultura Científica y de Innovación (UCC+i) de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Se ha escogido esta UCC+i porque publica anualmente, desde hace más de una década, informes sobre el impacto que generan en medios de comunicación las notas de prensa que difunden. Se han examinado los dosieres de los últimos cinco años (2014-2018) y se ha creado una base de datos que incluye las citas recibidas por los documentos difundidos en revistas científicas indexadas en la Web of Science y las menciones en redes sociales utilizando Altmetric.com. Posteriormente se ha realizado un análisis estadístico de la información obtenida. Los principales resultados muestran que el factor de impacto de las revistas es importante para conseguir citaciones académicas o para figurar en la conversación que se genera en Twitter. Sin embargo, la influencia del factor de impacto de la revista resulta menor a la hora de conseguir que la publicación científica obtenga popularidad en medios de comunicación. Además, las pruebas estadísticas muestran que las publicaciones científicas divulgadas a través de la UCC+i obtienen proporcionalmente más citas que las que no han sido divulgados por vía institucional.

Role of social networking services for scientists in promoting scientific output on example of Polish representatives of social communication and media sciences

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 717-736
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Kowalska-Chrzanowska ◽  
Przemysław Krysiński
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Scientific Communication ◽  
Scientific Output ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Social Networking Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Media ◽  
Usage Level

Purpose This paper aims to answer the question of how the Polish representatives of social communication and media sciences communicate the most recent scientific findings in the media space, i.e. what types of publications are shared, what activities do they exemplify (sharing information about their own publications, leading discussions, formulating opinions), what is the form of the scientific communication created by them (publication of reference lists' descriptions, full papers, preprints and post prints) and what is the audience reception (number of downloads, displays, comments). Design/methodology/approach The authors present the results of analysis conducted on the presence of the most recent (2017–2019) publications by the Polish representatives of the widely understood social communication and media sciences in three selected social networking services for scientists: ResearchGate, Google Scholar and Academia.edu. The analyses covered 100 selected representatives of the scientific environment (selected in interval sampling), assigned, according to the OECD classification “Field of Science”, in the “Ludzie nauki” (Men of Science) database to the “media and communication” discipline. Findings The conducted analyses prove a low usage level of the potential of three analysed services for scientists by the Polish representatives of social communication and media sciences. Although 60% of them feature profiles in at least one of the services, the rest are not present there at all. From the total of 113 identified scientists' profiles, as little as 65 feature publications from 2017 to 2019. Small number of alternative metrics established in them, implies, in turn, that if these metrics were to play an important role in evaluation of the value and influence of scientific publications, then this evaluation for the researched Polish representatives of social communication and media sciences would be unfavourable. Originality/value The small presence of the Polish representatives of the communication and media sciences in three analysed services shows that these services may be – for the time being – only support the processes of managing own scientific output. Maybe this quite a pessimistic image of scientists' activities in the analysed services is conditioned by a simple lack of the need to be present in electronic channels of scientific communication or the lack of trust to the analysed services, which, in turn, should be linked to their shortcomings and flaws. However, unequivocal confirmation of these hypotheses might be brought by explorations covering a larger group of scientists, and complemented with survey studies. Thus, this research may constitute merely a starting point for further explorations, including elaboration of good practices with respect to usage of social media by scientists.

Creating Conspiracy Beliefs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolores Albarracin ◽  
Julia Albarracin ◽  
Man-pui Sally Chan ◽  
Kathleen Hall Jamieson
Keyword(s):  
Political Science ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Ideological Bias ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Disciplinary Perspective ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
The Media ◽  
Information Sciences

Conspiracy theories spread more widely and faster than ever before. Fear and uncertainty prompt people to believe false narratives of danger and hidden plots, but are not sufficient without considering the role and ideological bias of the media. This timely book focuses on making sense of how and why some people respond to their fear of a threat by creating or believing conspiracy stories. It integrates insights from psychology, political science, communication, and information sciences to provide a complete overview and theory of how conspiracy beliefs manifest. Through this multi-disciplinary perspective, rigoros research develops and tests a practical, simple way to frame and understand conspiracy theories. The book supplies unprecedented amounts of new data from six empirical studies and unpicks the complexity of the process that leads to the empowerment of conspiracy beliefs.

scholarly journals An Event Group Based Classification Framework for Multi-variate Sequential Data

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Sun ◽  
David Stirling
Keyword(s):  
Decision Tree ◽  
Classification Problem ◽  
Sequential Data ◽  
Feature Generation ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Nominal Data ◽  
Classification Framework ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Tree Algorithms ◽  
Industrial Problem

Decision tree algorithms were not traditionally considered for sequential data classification, mostly because feature generation needs to be integrated with the modelling procedure in order to avoid a localisation problem. This paper presents an Event Group Based Classification (EGBC) framework that utilises an X-of-N (XoN) decision tree algorithm to avoid the feature generation issue during the classification on sequential data. In this method, features are generated independently based on the characteristics of the sequential data. Subsequently an XoN decision tree is utilised to select and aggregate useful features from various temporal and other dimensions (as event groups) for optimised classification. This leads the EGBC framework to be adaptive to sequential data of differing dimensions, robust to missing data and accommodating to either numeric or nominal data types. The comparatively improved outcomes from applying this method are demonstrated on two distinct areas – a text based language identification task, as well as a honeybee dance behaviour classification problem. A further motivating industrial problem – hot metal temperature prediction, is further considered with the EGBC framework in order to address significant real-world demands.

scholarly journals In defence of machine learning: Debunking the myths of artificial intelligence

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 734-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance de Saint Laurent
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
The Past ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Media

There has been much hype, over the past few years, about the recent progress of artificial intelligence (AI), especially through machine learning. If one is to believe many of the headlines that have proliferated in the media, as well as in an increasing number of scientific publications, it would seem that AI is now capable of creating and learning in ways that are starting to resemble what humans can do. And so that we should start to hope – or fear – that the creation of fully cognisant machine might be something we will witness in our life time. However, much of these beliefs are based on deep misconceptions about what AI can do, and how. In this paper, I start with a brief introduction to the principles of AI, machine learning, and neural networks, primarily intended for psychologists and social scientists, who often have much to contribute to the debates surrounding AI but lack a clear understanding of what it can currently do and how it works. I then debunk four common myths associated with AI: 1) it can create, 2) it can learn, 3) it is neutral and objective, and 4) it can solve ethically and/or culturally sensitive problems. In a third and last section, I argue that these misconceptions represent four main dangers: 1) avoiding debate, 2) naturalising our biases, 3) deresponsibilising creators and users, and 4) missing out some of the potential uses of machine learning. I finally conclude on the potential benefits of using machine learning in research, and thus on the need to defend machine learning without romanticising what it can actually do.

scholarly journals The 2016 Amatrice seismic sequence in the Media

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Musacchio ◽  
Giovanna Piangiamaore
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Main Shock ◽  
Active Part ◽  
Seismic Sequence ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Media Agenda ◽  
First Results ◽  
The Media

<p><em>Media's </em><em>power in setting the public’s agenda for discussion can affect </em><em>perception and debate upon disasters. </em><em></em></p><p><em>In the frame of a dialogical approach to science communication, </em><em>we challenge here the paradigm for which issues that experts considered valuable are not in the Media's agenda. We studied the way Media addressed the Amatrice 2016 sequence and</em><em> discuss story-telling. Specific indicators were analyzed to assess to what extent the scientific coverage, risk reduction and damage issues are covered. </em><em></em></p><p><em>First results show that Media do think valuable to provide public with an in-depth </em><em>scientific coverage and refers to authoritative sources. As time goes by and aftershocks Magnitude decreases a more reflexive thinking is triggered; news stories include more risk reduction indicators than damage. Although memory of past earthquakes is always part of the story one month after the main shock risk reduction disappear from the media agenda. </em></p><p><em>We also explored the level of public engagement in risk reduction and found out that</em><em> Media still seem not believe that citizens should be active part of the debate upon their own safety.</em></p>

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF DETERMINANTS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN’S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (70) ◽  
pp. 108-117
Author(s):  
S.V. Hozak ◽  
◽  
O.T. Yelizarova ◽  
T.V. Stankevich ◽  
A.M. Parats ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Active Lifestyle ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Analytical Review ◽  
The Media ◽  
Primary School Age

The aim of research was to fulfill an analytical review of original scientific publications including foreign experience that determine the factors of influence on physical activity level of children of primary school age. Methods. Structural and logical analysis method, semantic bibliography method. Results. It was found that only an integrated approach can significantly affect the increase on the level of children`s physical activity. Both modifying public policy and the environment for children with intervention through the involvement of the media space, parents and collaboration of specialists from different related areas can really contribute to the active lifestyle of primary school children.

scholarly journals CONCEPT OF VIRTUAL CURRENCIES IN MODERN ECONOMIES

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Inta Kotane
Keyword(s):  
Future Development ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Virtual Currency ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Media

In recent years, development of blockchain technology and virtual currencies (VCs) have been followed not just by the media and industry professionals all over the world – there rarely could be found a person who has not ever heard the term ‘bitcoin’. Despite the popularity of VCs, there is a lack of comprehensible information in the Latvian language about what the virtual currency (VC) is, as well the concepts of digital and VCs are often misused as synonyms. The research is based on the analysis of special literature and scientific publications on the system of VCs. The aim of the research: to explore the concept of VCs in the modern economy. General scientific research methods are used in the research: the method of monographic or descriptive research, the comparative analysis method for studying the concept of VCs, the classification, legal regulation, and future development possibilities. The results of the research show that VCs are a type of digital currency, though, the opposite statement is not correct. Thus, all VCs are digital, but not all digital currencies are virtual. Exploration of the legal framework of VCs suggests that it is at an early stage of development. With the increasing number of VCs and along with strengthening of the legal framework of VCs, the issue of possible directions of the future development of VCs is raised. Two points of view dominate: the future currency or payment system, for example, smart contracts.

Mediadiscourse and Communication in Society

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
Е. Гнездилова ◽  
E. Gnezdilova
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Media Influence ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
Discursive Analysis ◽  
The World ◽  
Russian Media ◽  
The Media ◽  
Tools And Techniques

The article discusses the media discourse, analyzes its role in shaping the picture of the world of modern person: the typological features of the media text, the means and techniques of speech impact on the audience are highlighted. In the study of media texts, the author used the method of discursive analysis. As a result of an experimental study, linguistic techniques and means were revealed by which mass media influence the formation of public opinion, control communication in society. After analyzing publications in Russian media, the author comes to the conclusion that many of the linguistic techniques used in socio-political discourse today are mostly manipulative in nature, and are a powerful tool in the information confrontation. The identification of these tools and techniques, their systematization allows us to understand the specifics of the formation of the picture of the world of modern person, especially communication in society.

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