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Science communication

Useful guides and information

  • You and the Media
    A researcher's guide for dealing successfully with the news media by the American Geophysical Union.
  • Dialogue with the public: Practical guidelines
    The guide is intended primarily for those relatively new to communicating science or who are making the first steps to move from a monologue approach to a dialogue style. Produced by the Research Councils UK.
  • Communicating your ideas - Guidance notes for staff and fund-holders
    An online guide produced by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
  • Communicating Science to the Public: A Handbook for Researchers
    A handbook on how to communicate science to the public by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
  • Econnect Quick Tips
    Econnect changes the way people think and act about science and environment communication. The Quick Tips offer tips for message design, difficult interviews, presentations, etc.
  • E-guide to science communication
    SciDev.Net's e-guide to science communication provides an invaluable 'one-stop shop' for those involved in science communication specifically, and offers a great deal of more general development interest too.
  • About Science Communication
    Background information about what Science Communication entails.
  • Communicating science news
    "Communicating Science News - A guide for public information officers, scientists and physicians" (compiled by the National Association of Science Writers in the US).
  • Communications Toolkit
    An online resource to assist researchers to communicate their research effectively. Produced by the Economic and Social Research Council, UK.
  • A Protocol for Science Communication
    A protocol for science communication for the public understanding of science by Jane Gregory (Birkbeck College) and Steve Miller (Science and Technology Studies, University College London).
  • Communicating Your Research
    All researchers should find the guides a useful resource, covering three specific areas:how to develop a media strategy, how to target the broadcast media, how to influence the UK public policymaking process.
  • Communicating with the public guidance notes
    Advice on how to take your science to a broader audience by working with the media and schools, putting on exhibitions and displays, and addressing sensitive issues.
  • CORDIS: Improving Human Potential: Activities: Raising Public Awareness - Also visit: European Science and Technology Week and What is public awareness?
  • Euroscience
    Euroscience is open to scholars, engineers and technicians from the public and entrepreneurial sectors, but also to any citizen interested in implementing societal demands on science and technology and monitoring the impact of science on society.
  • Guidelines on science and health communication
    The Royal Society has now joined SIRC and the Royal Institution to produce a single set of guidelines on the reporing of science and health issues in the media.
  • How do I make a science news story for radio?
    A useful guide by Martin Redfern, Senior Producer, BBC Radio Science Unit. Source: SciDev.Net
  • Imperial College - Science Communication Group
    Offers courses in MSc Science Communication and MSc Science Media Production.
  • Incentives and Impediments to Scientists Communicating through the Media
    This paper discusses the factors that encourage or discourage scientists to communicate their work through the media. Some of the implications for managers of publicly funded research organisations are also discussed, along with suggestions for changes they can consider to both the practices and the culture of their organisations.
  • OPUS: Optimising Public Understanding of Science and Technology
    OPUS is a three-year project (2000-2002), funded by the European Commission, which addresses issues through comparative research on Public Understanding of Science and analysis at European level.
  • Practical advice for science communicators
    A useful guide for science communicators.
  • psci-com
    The UK-based Wellcome Trust offers a comprehensive Internet gateway to science communication and public understanding of science.
  • Science and the Public
    For a review on science communication and public attitudes to science in the UK, visit the site and get a document called "Science and the Public".
  • Science @ NASA
    Valuable links, including a literature review of science communication.
  • Science Books and Films (SB&F)
    An authoritative guide to science resources, bringing you the expert information you need to make the best decisions when choosing science materials for your library, classroom, or institution.
  • The role of scientists in public debate
    For a comprehensive report on "The role of scientists in public debate" in pdf format.
  • Think Global
    Online educational environment designed for primary (ages 7 to 12) and secondary (ages 13 to 16) school students and teachers. It allows students to create websites, interact with peers, ask questions, and make friends around the world. Teachers can use the portal to develop collaborative activities and promote cross-cultural learning.
  • Who's Misunderstanding Whom?
    A report "Who's misunderstanding whom?" offers an inquiry into the relationship between science and the media and presents an agenda of current issues for examination by social science researchers, science policy experts, the media and scientists.

Science communication organisations

Innovative science communication

  • AntCam
    The Natural History Museum's leafcutter ant colony is live on the web.
  • at-Bristol
    At-Bristol is a unique destination bringing science, nature and art to life… A place of discovery and surprise, home to three magical attractions.
  • BBC - Science
    Explore the world around you with hundreds of pages about science... Also visit the BBC Gene Stories and Clone Zone.
  • Daily Planet Online
    Public education campaign devoted to research on global change. The package includes a movie, a TV series, an online game for young people, and a multimedia website called "The Planet InFact."
  • Dragonfly TV
    Back-to-school science on the PBS science show.
  • Edinburgh International Science Festival
    Twelve days of non-stop events - shows, workshops, talks, demonstrations, hands-on activities and tours - all over the city. Come along and discover the real excitement of science and technology.
  • Expo for Young Scientists
    The Expo involves scholars from South Africa, who submit science and technology projects to 28 regional expositions each year.
  • How Stuff Works
    The index to over 1000 fantastic 'How Stuff Works' articles!
  • Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences: Posters in the London Underground
    During World Mathematical Year 2000, a sequence of posters designed at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences are being displayed month by month in the trains of the London Underground.
  • Kinetic City
    Kinetic City is an online game about a mission to planet Vearth produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
  • MTN ScienCentre
    The MTN ScienCentre is an interactive science centre where you can have fun, while learning about scientific discoveries and technological innovations.
  • NOVA - Science in the News
    Australian science in the news which regularly highlights interesting topics.
  • Popular Science
    Fuel for the curious mind.
  • Pupil Researcher Initiative (PRI)
    The PRI aims to make science lessons more stimulating for 14 to 16 year olds by giving them an idea of what real scientists do.
  • Questacon
    All about making science fun - by the National Science and Technology Centre in Australia.
  • Recreating dinosaurs
    In the film Jurassic Park and its sequel, The Lost World, dinosaurs are recreated from fragments of their genetic 'blue print' or DNA. Is recreating dinosaurs fact or fiction?
  • Rose Center for Earth and Space
    Visit the Rose Centre of Earth and Space online.
  • San Franscisco Exploratorium
    The museum of science, art and human perception.
  • Sasol SciFest
    Sasol SciFest which is held annually in late-March in Grahamstown offers a spectrum of no less than 400 events and activities including lectures, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, excursions, science olympics, a film-fest and street parade in just seven days.
  • Science Centrestage
    Science Centrestage was the Wellcome Trust’s National Festival of Science Drama for secondary schools: a celebration of communicating science through drama for Science Year (September 2001 – May 2002). These pieces, presented at a series of regional and national festivals, provided dramatic evidence of the creative and productive interplay between science and art.
  • ScienceNet and ScienceLine
    Your free science information service online and via the telephone.
  • Science Year in the UK: Planet Science
    Planet Science is a packed calendar of events, projects and resources designed to stimulate the imagination about science and technology.
  • The Lab
    The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's gateway to online science.
  • The Naked Scientists Online
    The site is the internet companion to the naked scientists radio show, a weekly science radio programme broadcast on local radio in the UK. The show, which is a non-profit making venture, is written, produced and presented by scientists and doctors from Cambridge University. The website contains archived editions of our previous shows, available in text, audio and video formats, a library of short science articles, a lively science discussion forum, reviews of popular science books, and a catalogue of video interviews with famous scientists.
  • The Natural History Museum
    The Natural History Museum is the UK's national museum of natural history, and a centre of scientific excellence in taxonomy and biodiversity. Also visit the Museum's Exploring Biodiversity and Interactive online exhibitions sites.
  • TryScience
    TryScience is a science education resource for children, parents and educators. We feature information for kids on science museums, science fair project ideas, dinosaurs, and other science discoveries.
  • Walking with Woodlice
    Explore the biodiversity on your own doorstep in the second year of our national woodlouse survey.

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