Publishing research that can be accessed as widely as possible is clearly crucial, but ensuring that research is accessible to similarly large groups of people is an altogether different challenge. The CC BY license, required by many funders when publishing open access, permits users to transform and build upon the licensed content, creating something new and original. Lucy Lambe explains […]
Category: scicomms
Five principles of holistic science communication
Effective communication is fundamental to increasing public understanding and the public impact of science. Suzi Spitzer outlines five principles of holistic science communication that can facilitate collaborative learning between scientists and the public. Assemble a diverse, interdisciplinary team, tell a story, make the message personal, communicate to people rather than at them, and remember to be human! How can we […]
New research must be better reported, the future of society depends on it
Academics looking to communicate the findings and value of their research to wider audiences are increasingly going through the media to do so. But, argues Andy Tattersall, poor or incomplete reporting can undermine respect for experts by misrepresenting research, especially by trivialising or sensationalising it, or publishing under inappropriate headlines and with cherry-picked statistics. Proper and accurate communication of science […]
Test your research impact muscles! Are researchers getting the support required to realise the potential impact of their work?
Knowledge and awareness of research impact-related concepts and terminology varies greatly among researchers around the world. To help researchers test their “research impact muscles” and see how they compare to their peers, Kudos have developed a circus-themed quiz! Lauren McNeill explains how this quick, light-hearted quiz will help researchers increase their understanding of how to maximise the likelihood of their […]
Rebranding science so it is seen by all people as a fundamental and inclusive part of our society
More than any other area of society, science is seen as the exclusive preserve of experts and professionals, not something the wider community is able to interact and engage with. Katherine Mathieson suggests it is time to challenge stereotypes in science; to support, grow and diversify the community of people who are interested and involved in it, and strengthen their […]
Scientist Selfies – Instagramming to change public perceptions of scientists
Scientists have an image problem. Women and minorities are often told they don’t “look like scientists” as stubborn stereotypes depict scientists as white, male, and more competent than warm. Instagram, with its huge and growing community of users and obvious capacity to relate human interest stories, represents a great opportunity to address this problem. Paige Jarreau and Samantha Yammine introduce […]