Science Communication

TheThe

ScienceScience

of of

ScientificScientific

Communication

Communication

New technologies: capacity to generate New technologies: capacity to generate scientific information growing rapidlyscientific information growing rapidly

• Genetic/molecular approaches

• GIS

• Internet

Rapid expansion: ability to share Rapid expansion: ability to share information is more challenginginformation is more challenging

• “information-dense”

• specialised

Research topics have become more

The HopeThe Hope

X

Scientist

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Audience

XXX

The RealityThe Reality

X

Scientist

XXX

X

X

?

Y

X

Z

X

Y

Audience

Z

Our AimOur Aim

How to make

the transmission of our message

as accurate as possible?

Scientists must find ways to improve Scientists must find ways to improve communication skillscommunication skills

• Trial and Error Approach

• Advice from collaborators

• Look to research on communication

American Scientist, 1990, 78, 550

George Gopen

The Reader Expectation Theory TeamThe Reader Expectation Theory Team

Joseph M. Williams, Gregory Colomb,

Wayne Booth

Main message from research: audiences Main message from research: audiences expects information to be organised in expects information to be organised in

patternspatterns

Example: the main pattern of a paragraph

- one main idea, expressed early

Paragraphs typically establish their frame Paragraphs typically establish their frame of reference earlyof reference early

Manja is a really good guy. He works very hard. He always finds time to help his friends. When

his parents need him, he never refuses

to return home.

Pattern-packaging exploits human drive to Pattern-packaging exploits human drive to complete patternscomplete patterns

O_r capacity to comp_ete patt_ _ns

mak_s it p_ssible to und_ _stand

incom__lete and ev_n

incrroect cmmounictaion.

An early framework helps usAn early framework helps us to make sense of a poor later sentence to make sense of a poor later sentence

Manja is a really good guy. He works very hard. He always finds time to help his friends. When parents have a need, never is there a refusal

to return home.

Higher-level patterns are more Higher-level patterns are more important than lower level onesimportant than lower level ones

A higher-level pattern provides

the frame of reference

for the pattern one level below

An outline is a higher-order framework..An outline is a higher-order framework..

……that we use to fill in the details.that we use to fill in the details.

Our Aim….Our Aim….

How to make the transmission of our message as accurate as possible?

XX

Scientist

X

X

X

X

X

Audience

..can now be addressed by these objectives. ..can now be addressed by these objectives.

What are the two highest-levels patternsaudiences expect in scientific communications?

How do we make these patterns obviousin papers, proposals & seminars?

Introduction Results

Discussion

Methods

Top-level pattern: problems with paper-Top-level pattern: problems with paper-writing indicate that writing indicate that IMRaD IMRaD is is notnot it it

• Confusion about what sort of information goes where

• Mismatch between Introduction and Discussion

A more useful top-level pattern: nested A more useful top-level pattern: nested questions and answersquestions and answers

Big Picture Question

Aim-level Question/s

Objective-level Question/s Objective-level Answer/s

Aim-level Answer/s

Big Picture Answer/s

NB: Aim-level questionmust be one audience sees as: - unanswered in the literature (novelty) - significant

An example talk to illustrate the nested An example talk to illustrate the nested Questions/Answers pattern.Questions/Answers pattern.

Part 1: No use of PowerPoint: purely verbal

Part 2: PowerPoint can be used


Your own talks in the course should havethe same mix of “purely verbal” and

“PowerPoint-assisted” parts.

A problem in paradise: The vanishing Picobar Tree Frog

Geoff HydeNCBSSCCS 2010Bangalore

(The slides for parts of the talk that were “purely verbal” have been added here for completeness)

DiurnalInsectivorousMid-altitudesPopulation declining

The Picobar Tree Frog

How can the population decline of the Picobar Tree Frog be halted?

Possible players in the population decline of the Picobar Tree Frog

Rat Snake(Ptyas mucosa)Introduced 1999

Picobar Lady Beetle(Harmonia picobari)Threatened by fungi

Is population decline due to increased predation or decreased prey?

Nested Questions and Answers of talk so farNested Questions and Answers of talk so far

How can we reverse the decline of the

Picobar Tree Frog?

Is Picobar Tree Frog decline due to

Rat Snake increase or Lady Beetle

decrease?

Nested Questions and Answers for this Nested Questions and Answers for this workshopworkshop

How do scientists cope with the communication challenges (information-density, specialisation) posed by rapid expansion of information?

How do we make the transmission of our scientific messages more accurate?

An example talk following the structure for An example talk following the structure for your own talks in this courseyour own talks in this course




If increased predation, ......

.....,we should see snakes eating frogs

Objective 1: Do starved captive rat snakes eat Picobar Tree Frogs?

If decreased prey, frogs should strongly prefer Lady Beetles

Objective 2: Do starved, captive Picobar Tree Frogs

strongly prefer Picobar Lady Beetles ?

Preparation for exposure to frogs

27oC + 36oC

Replication : 20 snakes

Snakes offered two species of frogs

Snakes ate the brown frogs

Tree frogs uneaten after one week

Objective 1: Do starved captive rat snakes eat Picobar Tree Frogs?

No

27oC

Preparation for exposure to insects

Replication : 20 frogs

Frogs offered five species of insects

Frogs targeted the Lady Beetles

95% Lady Beetles, 25% Brown Beetles eaten

Objective 2: Do starved, captive Picobar Tree Frogs strongly prefer Picobar Lady

Beetles ?

Yes

Nested Questions and Answers,Nested Questions and Answers,up to end of Resultsup to end of Results


Picobar Tree Frog?



decrease?

* Do captive Rat Snakes eat Picobar

Tree Frogs?

* Do captive Picobar Tree Frogs

strongly prefer to eat Lady Beetles?

* Captive Rat Snakes do not eat

Picobar Tree Frogs.

* Captive Picobar Tree Frogs

strongly prefer to eat Lady Beetles.

An example talk following the structure for An example talk following the structure for your own talks in this courseyour own talks in this course




* Very unlikely due to Rat Snakes

Is decline of Picobar Tree Frogs due to increased Rat Snake predation or

decreased availability of Lady Beetles?

* Results support Lady Beetle hypothesis

- need support from field studies - preliminary data is suggestive

* Breed fungal-resistant Lady Beetles

* Captive breeding program for tree frogs

Suggestions for management of population decline

Nested Questions and Answers for entire talkNested Questions and Answers for entire talk


Picobar Tree Frog?



decrease?


Tree Frogs?




Picobar Tree Frogs.



Captive results consistent with a role

for Lady Beetle decrease in Picobar

Tree Frog decline.

* Breed fungal-resistant Lady Beetles.

* Start captive breeding program for

Picobar Tree Frogs.

Objectives Objectives

What are the two highest-levels patternsaudiences expect in scientific communications?

- Nested Questions/Answers - IMRaD

The objective: “How do we make these patternsobvious in papers, proposals & seminars?” can nowbe reworked as:

- How do we make nested Questions/Answers stand out in IMRaD, especially the Aims?

1. Express questions, 1. Express questions, especially aimsespecially aims,, as questions as questions


Picobar Tree Frog?



decrease?


Tree Frogs?




Picobar Tree Frogs.





Tree Frog decline.



Picobar Tree Frogs.

2. Use devices to focus attention on2. Use devices to focus attention on aim-level Questions and Answers aim-level Questions and Answers


Picobar Tree Frog?



decrease?


Tree Frogs?




Picobar Tree Frogs.





Tree Frog decline.



Picobar Tree Frogs.


Discussion

Methods

1. Big Picture

Question

2. Aim-level

Question/s

3. Objective-level

Answer/s

3. Objective-level

Question/s

2. Aim-level

Answer/s

1. Big Picture

Answer/s

Change to less

emphatic tone

Emphasise

importance:

tone, pausing,

dedicated slide

Remind reader of


Devices for focusing on Aims:TalksDevices for focusing on Aims:Talks

Recapitulate


Discussion

Methods

1. Big Picture

Question

2. Aim-level

Question/s

3. Objective-level

Answer/s

3. Objective-level

Question/s

2. Aim-level

Answer/s

1. Big Picture

Answer/s

Single

paragraph

At very end

of penultimate

paragraph

Remind reader of


Introductory

paragraph

Devices for focusing on Aims: PapersDevices for focusing on Aims: Papers

Asthma is one of the most debilitating of respiratory diseases. The delineation of its

aetiology in children is of particular importance because of this disease’s increasing

prevalence. During the last three decades, the incidence of asthma in children, especially in

the developed world, has continually risen (Koff et al., 2004). For example, it has recently

been estimated that by the age of fourteen, 25% of all children in Australia will have suffered

at least one asthmatic attack (Krokodyal and Dundee, 2001).

The reasons for the increasing prevalence of asthma are unclear. Several studies have

demonstrated that time spent indoors correlates strongly with the incidence of childhood

asthma (e.g. Ceeger and Neentendough, 1988), and Durstmeight (1990) has proposed that

prolonged exposure to household allergens could be important. But it has not yet been

shown definitively that indoor allergens are responsible. Recently Ghetarlyfe (2003) has

suggested that it is decreased time spent outdoors that is possibly the causative factor. In

this as yet untested scenario it would be outdooor, not indoor, allergens that are

responsible: children might be getting fewer opportunities to develop an insensitivity to

agents such as pollen and fungal spores that occasionally reach high densities, since they

not being exposed to them at low levels. Thus whether “indoor-time-associated” asthma

involves indoor or outdoor allergens is an ongoing issue.

An example Introduction to paper: up to Aim An example Introduction to paper: up to Aim

Thus whether “indoor-time-associated” asthma involves indoor or outdoor allergens is an

ongoing issue.

To address this question, we have followed up the group of 5,000 children originally

surveyed by Ceeger and Neentendough (1988). Our approach, in which we cross-correlate

the antibodies present in the children with antigens found in their indoor and outdoor

environments, allows us to identify the likely source of the antigens that cause attacks

experienced by these children.

An example Introduction to paper: ObjectiveAn example Introduction to paper: Objective


Picobar Tree Frog?



decrease?


Tree Frogs?




Picobar Tree Frogs.





Tree Frog decline.



Picobar Tree Frogs.

The 3 parts of a scientific story resonate The 3 parts of a scientific story resonate with a well-known pattern…with a well-known pattern…

..that of the three acts of a narrative..that of the three acts of a narrative

Act I: Set-up Act II: Journey Act III: Resolution

3. Objective-level

Question/s1. Big Picture

Question

2. Aim-level

Question/s

3. Objective-level

Answer/s

2. Aim-level

Answer/s

1. Big Picture

Answer/s

(Methods)

The three acts of a storyThe three acts of a story


Rama and Sita

exiled from Ayodhya

Rama and Sita

separated

Rama defeats agent of

his separation from Sita

Return in glory to Ayodhya

Rama kills Bali

The Bridge to Lanka

The main axis of a paperThe main axis of a paper


3. Objective-level

Question/s1. Big Picture

Question

2. Aim-level

Question/s

3. Objective-level

Answer/s

2. Aim-level

Answer/s

1. Big Picture

Answer/s

(Methods)

Our ProblemOur Problem

How to make the transmission of our message as accurate as possible?

XX

Scientist

X

X

X

X

X

Audience

Nested Questions and AnswersNested Questions and Answers

How do scientists cope with the communication challenges (information-density, specialisation) posed by rapid expansion of information?

How do we make the transmission of our scientific messages more accurate?

•What are the two highest-level patterns audiences expect in science?

* How do we make the patternsobvious in papers etc?

We make certain that our papers, talks etc are organised according to the patterns audiences expect.

Amongst many other strategies, scientists can benefit by looking to the findings of people who specialise in understanding communication.

- Nested Questions/Answers- IMRaD

• Define Questions/Answers• Use devices so they standout in right spots in the IMRaD structure

Science Communication

Education

Transcript of Science Communication