Issues Magazine 87
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An overview of what's in this edition of Issues. |
How can the average person tell good science from bad, and what role should the rest of the scientific community play in helping us through the maze? |
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Specialisation of reportage and commentary in mainstream media, exemplified by science, is under serious threat in Australia and overseas. |
Science communicators have a responsibility to counter a tsunami of misinformation and facilitate community understanding of important issues like climate change and nuclear safety. |
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Science can be stalled by public misunderstanding, yet science communication is relatively new in Australia. Tim Thwaites explains why, and how the dearth of science communication is being addressed. |
Society today is awash in junk information that is contaminating not only responsible journalism but also the very ability of democracies to make sound decisions in their own best interests. |
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Scientific, medical, and environmental issues are subject to the same types of linguistic framing that are used in advertising and other persuasive communication. |
How do scientists view the media? And how might this shape their interactions with journalists and the nature of news coverage? |
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Joan Leach and Maureen Burns reflect on Frontiers of Science, a 1960s and 1970s comic strip series they are researching as examples of science mediation in the 20th century. |
Most people find out about new health treatments from the media, but how just accurate is this information and how can you tell? |
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Nancy Longnecker describes Australian university options for budding science communicators. |
Many scientists lack the skills or encouragement to speak to the media successfully. Media skills training provides a way for scientists to confidently use the media to talk about their work. |
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What does the future of science journalism hold? Nicky Phillips traces its transformation, technology and opportunities. |
John Cook set out to debunk two climate myths by exploiting the psychology of misinformation. |
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An independent review of an Australian federal government science communication initiative has found that educational and information materials lacked balance and fairness, and primarily served a marketing or public relations function. |
According to research conducted by the Victorian Department of Business and Innovation, as many as 30% of the Victorian population are unengaged when it comes to science. |
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Kayt Davies looks at the connection between respecting science and good science communication. |
Effective science communication efforts have sought to frame discussions in terms of the values the public is applying to the issues, rather than those of scientists. |
