What are some common pitfalls to avoid when telling stories about science?

In my experience working with the Bio/Diversity Project at the University of Arizona, one of the main ways we were tried to engage with students who were not always interested in science was to present lessons that were culturally relevant to them. Connecting scientific concepts to shared experiences your audience members have is a great way to encourage them to consider how science is relevant to their own lives.

Considering your audience is the number 1 most importing thing before trying to communicate science & the biggest thing I see go wrong. Who are they? What do they know? What don't they know? Why do they care? Why should they care? Why are they your audience? If you can't answer these questions before even starting to develop your story, it is doomed to fail. But beyond this, stop 'othering' your audience. As scientists we so often see it as 'us & them', experts & non-experts, scientists & the general public. Even as scientists we are not experts on everything, & we are part of different demographics with our audience. If we stop thinking of 'us & them' & actually communicate (2 way communication!) we can build relationship and trust.

Breaking down complex scientific ideas so that everyone can get them is at the heart of excellent science communication. It's about simplifying all that intricate information into straightforward, easy-to-grasp messages. The aim? To ensure that whether you're a science expert or just starting out, you can pick up on the key points of your story and/or message.

Saber quién es tu audiencia y conocerla bien siempre debe estar en el número 1 de las preocupaciones que una persona comunicadora debe tener antes de ponerse a trabajar. Siempre nos ponemos en el caso de quien no conoce el tema, pero incluso conociéndolo, debemos pensar en la mejor forma de contarles aquello en lo que estamos pensando, elegir los mejores visuales, encontrar las palabras más adecuadas e incluso citar las fuentes más correctas. Además, debemos prestar atención también a las posibles fuentes con las que pueda haber controversia y tenerlas bien presentes por si tenemos que adjuntarlas o demostrar alguno de nuestros puntos.

The pitfalls to avoid when telling stories about science: * Accuracy over Drama: Don't sacrifice facts to make the story exciting. * Balanced View: Avoid personal bias and present all sides of the issue. * No Hype: Don't oversell preliminary findings as breakthroughs. * Be Honest About Risks: Don't sensationalize uncertainties, but be transparent. * More Than One Study: Base your story on broader evidence, not a single source. * Know Your Audience: Tailor your story's complexity to their level of understanding.

When you're sharing Science, being adaptable is fundamental. What resonates with experts might completely lose a general audience. So, as a Science Communicator, you've got to figure out how much the audience knows about the Science details and adjust your explanations accordingly.

The most common issue I see when researchers try to share their work is that they keep their language too technical. Don't get me wrong, that is definitely not a problem if your target group will understand it. But most of the time, you don't want to cater to experts in your field, but rather to other spheres of the public. On the other hand, simplifying your story as if it were a children’s book is something you might not want either... Because children might not be your audience. We need to adapt to our audience always. That is the most important step in every content piece.

If your public is not part of the research community, any word that a high schooler has not ever heard, is not suitable for communication. Either avoid it or explain it! But do not patronize your audience! Keep most of the meaty details in. It is better for the audience to only understand 90% of the content rather than immediately understand everything and feel bored about it. Finding the right spot is hard but always very rewarding!

Clarity of communication is vital. The scientific community consists of a lot of specialists who understand the jargon. However outside that community, this can seem very impenetrable. Take a simplistic approach to ensure the widest audience can comprehend, so if you do need to use jargon for example, explain what it means. If you use acronyms, spell them out and provide simple summaries. Ask a non-scientific colleague or friend to read your text, or listen to your presentation. They will be able to give you feedback to how you are received.

Aquí entra en juego la maldición del conocimiento, ese sesgo cognitivo que hace que perdamos la noción de lo que la gente "normal" sabe sobre nuestro tema. Así que el feedback externo es fundamental. El lenguaje debe ser preciso sin llegar a ser abrumador. Los visuales nos pueden ayudar mucho a explicar conceptos complejos. Si necesitamos utilizar palabras técnicas, hay que explicarlas. Pensemos en la pregunta 1, ?quién es nuestra audiencia? Si es generalista, hay que pensar que mucha gente habrá estudiado nuestra disciplina de forma transversal o nada en absoluto. Y, lo dicho, feedback. No queda otra.

Avoid overselling the achievements of a research study or organization. In my experience, readers engaging with the content could be relatives of people affected by a condition. When you say drug A treats condition X, they want to know where they can access it. Explain the achievements but also the caveats and give a realistic picture of how the technology will impact us.

No creo que sea necesario sacrificar nada para comunicar correctamente y que nuestras comunicaciones sean precisas. Contar una historia o crear una metáfora para que algo se entienda mejor (dependiendo de la audiencia a la que va dirigido) se mantiene dentro de precisión. Lo que NO es precisión es dar todos los datos que tenemos sobre algo sin contexto, porque entonces solo las personas más cercanas a esa investigación lo van a comprender. Un truco es comunicar con capas, como las peliculas de Pixar, que siempre tienen gui?os para los padres y madres, además de para los ni?os... Es más complejo de construir, pero se puede, con las referencias adecuadas. Lo que es clave es conocer bien a nuestra audiencia.

Remember that you are communicating with human beings and your reason for communicating with them needs to be very clear. Do you want to Inform, Inspire or Influence a decision? Use language that not only helps you pass the message on but that allows you to connect with their emotions. Do they understand enough to care? How does what you are communicating connect with their needs/realities/resources?

Don't hesitate to try new things and embrace mistakes along the way. Seek feedback, incorporate suggestions, and keep an eye on analytics – if something works well, it means it was effective. Take a moment to ponder why it resonated; what ingredients made it stand out? Now, if something falls flat, there's likely a reason. It's easy to blame algorithms or timing, and they do matter, but accuracy and connection with your target audience are equally crucial. If your post lacks these elements, it loses its impact. The pursuit of perfection may never be realized, so be yourself, experiment, and let these experiences shape your unique style over time.

I held the position of Manager of Evaluation at the California Science Center for over 8 years. I surveyed or interviewed 1000s of museum visitors or program participants of all ages. There is no better way to improve science communication than asking consumers to share their impressions of the content. Today, as a science writer & editor, I absolutely apply the lessons I learned in my research and evaluation days when I'm editing or evaluating the quality of any science communication initiative. Feedback is critical. It also demonstrates humility and that you're willing to engage in the same kind of review/course-correction that scientists themselves engage in.

Siempre que trabajo con algún paper, me gusta que bien el propio autor o autora o alguien de su equipo o algún investigador de ese tema me dé feedback. Es fundamental para que no haya errores. Una línea mal dibujada puede suponer la diferencia entre correcto o incorrecto cuando hablamos de Ciencia. No nos cuesta nada y solo es a?adir una capa adicional de trabajo pero cuatro ojos ven mejor que dos.

I've done a bit of work in churches and synagogues, dialoging with the religious leaders and their congregants on interesting big questions such as "how did it all begin?", or "are we special?" One thing I've learned to avoid is anything that implies that their beliefs are "wrong." The language that I found that works is something like "Yes, I understand that belief is part of your tradition. What we've learned from our scientific perspective is that ...."

Some common pitfalls to avoid when telling stories about science include oversimplifying complex concepts, neglecting the human element, presenting a misleading narrative for dramatic effect, and cherry-picking data to fit a desired storyline. It’s crucial to maintain accuracy, provide proper context, and communicate the uncertainties inherent in scientific exploration. Additionally, be wary of perpetuating stereotypes or misconceptions, as this can contribute to public misunderstanding of scientific topics.

All good points. I would also add it's important to find the balance between oversimplified and not simple enough. Science is for all; experts and laypeople. It's essential everyone has the opportunity to understand what is happening in the scientific community as it effects us all.

Un error histórico de los científicos ha sido utilizar un lenguaje demasiado técnico o poco adaptado a la realidad de la audiencia. No debemos perder rigor, pero tampoco sonar demasiado pedantes si nuestra audiencia no está especializada. Es vital que nuestra audiencia sea capaz de comprendernos y somos nosotros los que debemos hacerlo posible.

There are many things you can do with your freshly published story! - Spar with a partner: I encourage you to work on your story with a sparring partner to improve your writing. You can learn a lot from the writing style of other researchers. - Edit with AI: I really recommend scanning your text through Grammarly if English is not your first language. It is free, and it will solve a lot of your mistakes. - Share it with the world: You share it through LinkedIn articles, you can share it with journalists, and I really recommend that you share it with your organization’s communications team to give more visibility to your work and its impact.