Nodes of Science Communication Digest April 29 2016

Science communication is one topic deeply embedded in each of our Nodes of Science. Speaking on any public science issue means considering how to engage an audience and questioning various approaches to communication. Although we have lifetimes of experience in communication, we still have much to learn from evidence-based communication strategies and the science of science communication. For these reasons, Nodes of Science would like to share literature and discussions from around our groups as well as communities with similar missions. If you find the shared information worthwhile, feel free to jump into the linked discussion thread to share your thoughts. You are all also invited to join our discussions on Skepti-Forum, our message-board hub. For more discussions and literature, you can find a wealth of information on our Wiki.

• From our Nodes of Science community builder and curator, Julie Mellor-Trupp:
  • Constructively dealing with trolls in science communication | Shared in this Science Media Skepti-Forum thread.
  • Google before posting: How to debunk misinformation | Shared in this Science Media Skepti-Forum thread.
  • How to Become a Media Skeptic | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • How to read a scientific paper | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • The Widening World of Hand-Picked Truths | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • How Science Is Communicated Is More Important Than You Might Think | Shared in this Skeptical Science Hub thread.
  • The genetic fallacy: When is it okay to criticize a source? | Shared in this GMO Science Forum thread.
• From Kelsey McCartney:
  • What the Quest to Map the Brain Tells Us About Government-Funded Science Revolutions | Shared in this Science Media Skepti-Forum thread.
  • Press releases stink. Here’s why that matters | Shared in this Science Media Skepti-Forum thread.
  • Getting past ‘I’m smart, you’re stupid’ | Thoughts on finding a better way to engage people in science. | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • Free M.I.T. Course Teaches You How to Become Bill Nye & Make Great Science Videos for YouTube. | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
• From SciLog’s Kirk Englehardt who puts together fantastic SciComm lists:
  • Understanding & Respecting the Connection Between Teaching and Research | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • Georgia’s Science Standards Are Evolving…Again | Shared in this Science OF science communication thread.
• From Eclectic Science‘s Richard Green:
  • Acclaimed Science Fiction Author Dr. Jerry Pournelle Wins the National Space Society Robert A. Heinlein Award | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • New presenters of amazing programs on science are helping to create exciting catalysts for thought | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • The Relativity of Wrong By Isaac Asimov. | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • How to make people angry: write about science. | Shared in this Skeptical Science Hub thread.
• From Jeremy Caney:
  • If Skills Are the New Canon, Are Colleges Teaching Them? Most people agree that students should learn skills like critical thinking. But courses aren’t set up that way. | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
  • I doomed mankind with a free text editor: Will long and complex words make you look smarter? Meet the people who think that short words will make us dumb. | Shared in this Science Communication Outreach thread.
• From our Nodes of Science community builder and curator Michael Dryden-Cripton:
  • Science Isn’t Broken: It’s just a hell of a lot harder than we give it credit for. | Shared in this Skeptical Science Hub thread.
• From Dustin Eirdosh:
  • Science communication has a problem, which won’t be solved with MORE communication. | Shared in this Biotech & Your Brain: A Global Forum for Educators thread.
• From Matt Shipman:
  • What Scientists Want Out Of Online Engagement | Shared in this Science OF science communication thread.

A Few Discussion Focused Threads:

• From Food and Farm Discussion Lab’s Marc Brazeau in GMO Skepti-Forum:
  • The Science of Changing Minds.
  • Narrative Writing.
  • How Not to Talk to a GMO Critic.
• From our Nodes of Science community builder and curator, Julie Mellor-Trupp, in GMO Skepti-Forum:
  • Irresponsible Journalism
• From Darwin’s Bulldog, Frank Stearns, in Science Communication Outreach:
  • How do science communication and skepticism differ? Do they – should they?
  • What are some strategies to navigate talking down to people vs talking over them?
• A few threads from Knigel Holmes with some excellent responses:
  • Bloggers Communicating Science: Share their profiles, websites, and notable articles here.
  • Science Communication Websites, Databases, Collections, and Organisations.
  • Science Communicator Toolbox: Which tools help you communicate and research science?
  • Scientific Literature Researching Science Communication.
• Tue Sorensen in Brains Thinking About Brains:
  • Does anyone here know of any studies about the differences in communication styles between men and women?

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center | CC