Practical advice on public communication of science and technology

Practical advice

“How to do it” books

Books (last 5 years)

  • Angler, Martin W. (2017). Science Journalism: An Introduction. London/New York: Routledge.
  • Carpenter, Siri (Ed.) (2020). The Craft of Science Writing. Madison, WI: The Open Notebook.
  • Olson, Randy. (2015). Houston, We Have a Narrative. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [This book is a fully re-worked version of ideas and commentary Olson published on his blog and started collecting in a 2013 book on using narrative generally that often deals with telling stories about science]
  • Olson, Randy. (2018). Don’t be such a scientist: talking substance in an age of style, 2nd ed. Washington, DC: Island Press. [Second edition of a 2009 book, updated with ideas from his 2015 book on narrative.]
  • Schwabish, Jonathan A. (Ed.) (2020). Elevate the Debate: A Multilayered Approach to Communicating Your Research. New York: Wiley.
  • Wilcox, Christie, Brookshire, Bethany, & Goldman, Jason G. (Eds.). (2016). Science blogging: the essential guide. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  • Wilkinson, Clare, & Weitkamp, Emma. (2016). Creative research communication: Theory and practice. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.

Books (older but still great!)

  • Baron, Nancy. (2010). Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter. Washington, DC: Island Press. [Developed by COMPASS lead trainer; see also COMPASS’s collected resources.]
  • Bowater, Laura & Yeoman, Kay. (2013). Science Communication: A Practical Guide for Scientists. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
  • Blum, Deborah, Knudson, Mary, & Henig, Robin Marantz (Eds.). (2006). A Field Guide to Science Writing: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Dean, Cornelia. (2009). Am I Making Myself Clear? A Scientist’s Guide to Talking to the Public. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  • Gutkind, Lee. (2012). You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction—from Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything in Between. Boston: Da Capo.
  • Hayden, Thomas, & Nijhuis, Michelle (Eds.). (2013). The Science Writers’ Handbook: Everything You Need to Pitch, Publish, and Prosper in the Digital Age. New York: De Capo.
  • Hayes, Richard, & Grossman, Daniel. (2006). A Scientist’s Guide to Talking with the Media. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  • Menninger, Holly, & Gropp, Robert. (2008). Communicating Science: A Primer for Working with the Media. Washington, DC: American Institute for Biological Sciences.
  • Meredith, Dennis. (2010). Explaining Research: How to Reach Key Audiences to Advance Your Work. New York: Oxford University Press. [Additional material is on Meredith’s website]

“How to do it ” websites

Science outreach websites (the “informal science education” community)

  • http://www.informalscience.org/ (a portal to several online communities and sites dealing with informal science learning projects, research, and evaluation; includes information about science museums, science journalism, science festivals, public engagement activities, and much more)
  • http://www.nisenet.org/ (the National Informal STEM Education Network, full of resources)

Social media discussion ABOUT science communication

  • The social media world is full of science communication discussions, both practical and academic. Personally, I follow the Twitter hashtag #scicomm, but I’m not the most adept social media user — other hashtags may be more useful for your interests. I also follow a daily aggregator, the #SciComm Daily.
  • For humor, I also follow #serialkillerorscientist and its twin #scientistorserialkiller!

Science news commentary

Science policy resources

  • I don’t maintain a list. But one frequent request is a list of internship/fellowship opportunities. Kelly Singel has now created such a list for science policy fellowships, available here.

[last update: 11 November 2020]

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