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Communicating your science: What’s it really about?
National Institute for Animal AgricultureAntibiotic Symposium
Nov. 13, 2018Michael F. Dahlstrom
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Science Communication• Interdisciplinary social scientific
field that explores:• How scientific information is
communicated to various audiences
• How audiences interpret scientific information
• Effects of communication practices upon scientific understanding, acceptance and support
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Science Communication• What language should I use when
communicating with non-expert audiences?
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Science Communication
1. Avoid Jargon• Science uses words that often
mean nothing to a non-expert• Parts per million,
unmetabolized, prophylaxis, etc.
• Describe your science only using words your audience uses frequently
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Science Communication
2. Analogies and Metaphors• Offers a comparison to
allow a complex topic to be understood through a familiar idea.
• Antibiotics are like a military boot camp, training germs to get stronger
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Science Communication
3. Narrative examples• Place abstract ideas into
everyday contexts through specific stories
• Increases relevance • Antimicrobial resistance is a
serious threat to public health…• Robert should have recovered
quickly from his surgery, but MRSA had other plans…
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So, how can we use these tips?
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So, how can we use these tips?
• Give scientific presentations to the broader community.• Make data available through databases or digital libraries• Publish in diverse media (e.g., non-technical literature, websites,
press kits) to reach broad audiences. • Present research in formats useful to policy-makers, members of
Congress, industry, and broad audiences. • Participate in multi- and interdisciplinary conferences, workshops,
and research activities. • Integrate research with education activities in order to communicate
in a broader context. • Involve the public or industry in research and education activities.
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So, how can we use these tips?
• Give scientific presentations to the broader community.• Make data available through databases or digital libraries• Publish in diverse media (e.g., non-technical literature, websites,
press kits) to reach broad audiences. • Present research in formats useful to policy-makers, members of
Congress, industry, and broad audiences. • Participate in multi- and interdisciplinary conferences, workshops,
and research activities. • Integrate research with education activities in order to communicate
in a broader context. • Involve the public or industry in research and education activities.
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Transmission Model
• Transmission Model of Communication• Focus on transmission of facts
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• I'm tired of reading unfactual, liberal hipocrisy that is the ISU Daily.
• I'm signing because how are we as agriculture advocates suppose to educate our consumers when our own ISU Daily won't publish correct information.
• Non-factually biased fear mongering articles, that lead to incorrect knowledge being provided to those that don't have prior knowledge of animal agriculture, is not something I want my tuition being spent on.
• The lack of knowledge and factual information presented in these articles is an outrage to the agricultural industry.
• Factually accuracy is the most important part of an article for me, and if this will help them shape up and check their facts then I am all for it. Either way, I don't feel like I should pay for an inaccurate paper.
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Deficit Model of Science Communication
• Under this model, controversies about science are caused by a deficit of science knowledge
• The role of science communication is to educate the audience thereby reducing the controversy
• One way transmission of science from expert to non-expert
• The facts will speak for themselves
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Deficit Model of Science Communication
• Under this model, controversies about science are caused by a deficit of science knowledge
• The role of science communication is to educate the audience thereby reducing the controversy
• One way transmission of science from expert to non-expert
• The facts will speak for themselves
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Deficit Model of Science Communication
• Knowledge and attitudes about science are generally not correlated• More knowledge can actually lead to less favorable attitudes
toward science and greater polarization
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Underlying Values
• Knowledge is important, but uninterpretable until applied to an underlying value system
• It is this application that drives attitudes, behaviors and acceptance of scientific technologies.
• Many competing values across audiences.– Science describes and explains the world but can never tell
society what should be done
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Underlying Values
• Should raw milk be legalized?
• Science: Drinking raw milk significantly increases the risk of food-borne illness.
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Underlying Values
• Should raw milk be legalized?
• Science: Drinking raw milk significantly increases the risk of food-borne illness.• Value 1: Keeping people safe
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Underlying Values
• Should raw milk be legalized?
• Science: Drinking raw milk significantly increases the risk of food-borne illness.• Value 1: Keeping people safe• Value 2: Freedom of choice
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Underlying Values
• Audiences are not passive and will seek out and interpret science according to their values
• When values remain hidden or unspoken, science issues become infused with antagonistic cultural meanings that inhibit discussion or consideration.
• The only way to resolve socially contentious science issues is to articulate and discuss competing values and then see how the science can be applied in their service.
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• It's inspiring to see Katlyn stand up for she believes in. I support her, this petition, and the message behind it. This is for the future of strong bonds between the American consumer and the American farmer.
• I won't have my money promoting things that go against my beliefs or against what my entire education is based on.
• I grew up a a rural community full of family farms. Those who didn't grow up on farms looked down on those of us who did. I thought coming to college people would be smarter and more interested in the true facts, but apparently not. This disconnection needs to be fixed.
• I'm signing because I believe in the proper representation of agriculture.
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Public Engagement of Science Model
• Under this model, controversies about science represent a necessary function of the democratic process
• The role of communication is to facilitate discussion toward decisions informed by societal values and accurate science
• Two way engagement between expert and public
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Public Engagement of Science Model
• “In other words, we may be wasting valuable time and resources by focusing our efforts on putting more and more information in front of an unaware public, without first developing a better understanding of how different groups will filter or reinterpret this information when it reaches them, given their personal value systems and beliefs.”
• Nisbet & Scheufele, 2009
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Science Communication• Cultural Theory of Risk
• Many conflicts around science are not really disagreements about science, but are rather differences in aligning the desired solution to what an individual views as a "good" societal structure
• Individuals selectively attend to and interpret information in a manner that expresses and reinforces their preferred way of life
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???
???
???
Sustainability?
???
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???
???
???
Greed has destroyed shared resources: Return to smaller
institutions, simpler lifestyle – everyone
should do a little
Sustainability?
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???
???
Lack of order has destroyed shared
resources: Need new organizations with
rules and enforcement – authoritative truth needs to be accepted
Greed has destroyed shared resources: Return to smaller
institutions, simpler lifestyle – everyone
should do a little
Sustainability?
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???
Unnecessary social burdens have destroyed resources: Need more
freedom to allow solutions to arise from
competition – other groups are
scaremongers
Lack of order has destroyed shared
resources: Need new organizations with
rules and enforcement – authoritative truth needs to be accepted
Greed has destroyed shared resources: Return to smaller
institutions, simpler lifestyle – everyone
should do a little
Sustainability?
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Destroyed resources are inevitable: All other groups have failed
sometime in the past –stop wasting time and
energy trying
Unnecessary social burdens have destroyed resources: Need more
freedom to allow solutions to arise from
competition – other groups are
scaremongers
Lack of order has destroyed shared
resources: Need new organizations with
rules and enforcement – authoritative truth needs to be accepted
Greed has destroyed shared resources: Return to smaller
institutions, simpler lifestyle – everyone
should do a little
Sustainability?
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Science Communication• So how to communicate?
• The audience will seek out information that aligns with their existing needs and values
• They will also interpret science information through the filter of those values
• Messages must be interpretable according to their values.
• It doesn’t make science communication easier, but it will make it more effective.
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Reflect on your own values
1. What values do you use to interpret issues surrounding antibiotic use and resistance?
• Think of a fact that has meaning to you.• Why is it important? What value does it support?
2. What values are driving social misunderstanding or controversy about antibiotic use and resistance?
• Consider the arguments for or against the issue in the media or made by the general public.
• What values are those arguments being used to support?
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Moral of the Story
• For more effective science communication, you need to analyze:
• What is my goal?• Who is my audience?• Why would they care?• How best to reach them?• What values might guide their
interpretation of my message?• How can I earn their trust?