Science communication - Unit 9

C1 Advanced · Gapped Text · Complete Advanced Workbook, Cambridge University Press

You are going to read an extract from a magazine article about the way science is communicated to the public. Six paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap (1–6). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

Science communication

Members of the public sitting down at such an event to gain information, discuss and make suggestions on the matter in hand is popular in many countries. In Denmark, for instance, Parliament is legally compelled to take note of the findings of this kind of gathering.

The best such encounter with science is ‘Root and Branch’ or ‘what trees can and can’t do to address climate change’, produced by the New Zealand media group ‘Stuff’. This presentation explains land use, reforestation and climate change in Aotearoa, the Maori name for the country, with footage, text, pictures and infographics.

It is unfortunate that these specific regulations were devised without any input from non-scientists, because they date back to a time when the importance of consultation with laypeople was not understood as fully as it is today.

Examples of this include regulations on seatbelt use, which were drafted after consultation with those who had conducted research into the protection seatbelts offer in the event of collisions at different speeds. Similarly, levies on sugary foods were introduced based on the research findings of nutritionists.

This thirst for scientific knowledge is generally viewed positively by the scientific community. One reason for this is that surveys have shown that as the field of science communication has grown, public trust in scientists has increased.

Another such opportunity for active and interested people to get involved in is ‘citizen science’. This allows volunteers to collect data as well as share their local knowledge, experience and skills with experts, who come into their communities for a genuine exchange of ideas.

However, there are other, non-economic reasons for having non-scientists involved in science. Certain major global challenges, such as climate change, require the active involvement of individuals and communities, who have a key role to play in preventing environmental devastation. Similarly, information on nutrition and disease prevention needs to be widely disseminated.

A UK poll in 2019 revealed that 51% of people felt fairly well informed about science, up from 45% five years earlier. When presented with the negative statement, ‘Science makes our way of life change too fast’, only 21% agreed, about half the number who agreed with the same statement in 1996. Since in most countries, a large proportion of scientific research is funded by the public, it is vital to have public support and confidence in scientists.

Scientists need to communicate their research in clear and simple terms, not just to the public but even more crucially, to decision-makers. In the UK, there are very few scientists in Parliament or even in the Civil Service, yet politicians are charged with developing policy based on scientific research. It is increasingly the case that governments appoint scientists to provide impartial advice, which will feed into new laws and policies.

The majority of people will only take an interest in science if it is made entertaining. Therefore, science communicators put a great deal of effort into making it seem fascinating, attractive and cool. These days, science stories need to be truly immersive, with a mix of stunning photographs, video, illustrations and visual effects. These elements are often arranged in the most creative way possible, in order to engage a wide range of readers.

However, science communication is not just about informing people, or even keeping them informed. It is also concerned with setting up a dialogue between scientists and the public. The field has been grappling with the question of how to genuinely give the public a voice for several years. One option is consensus conferences, where a group of citizens are presented with evidence on a specific issue from experts and use what they have learnt to formulate recommendations.

Elsewhere, rather than writing it into law, some funding organisations make engagement with laypeople a condition of providing research funding. Clearly, not everyone is going to be motivated to enter into dialogue with scientists. However, for those who are engaged, this is a chance to speak on behalf of non-scientists.

While this kind of practice has been criticised for exploiting laypeople by getting them to work as unpaid research assistants, overall, it is seen as a positive way to involve a wider section of the community in science. This and various other initiatives taken by science communicators have meant that careers in science are now viewed as exciting, future-focused and accessible to everyone.

When most people think of a scientist, they probably picture someone in a white coat working in a laboratory, either alone or with other scientists. Unlike doctors, scientists do not traditionally have public-facing roles, but this is rapidly changing. Science communication is a fast-growing field, increasingly forming part of university science programmes, as a more educated public demands increasingly detailed information on scientific issues. ___ A UK poll in 2019 revealed that 51% of people felt fairly well informed about science, up from 45% five years earlier. When presented with the negative statement, ‘Science makes our way of life change too fast’, only 21% agreed, about half the number who agreed with the same statement in 1996. Since in most countries, a large proportion of scientific research is funded by the public, it is vital to have public support and confidence in scientists. ___ Scientists need to communicate their research in clear and simple terms, not just to the public but even more crucially, to decision-makers. In the UK, there are very few scientists in Parliament or even in the Civil Service, yet politicians are charged with developing policy based on scientific research. It is increasingly the case that governments appoint scientists to provide impartial advice, which will feed into new laws and policies. ___ The majority of people will only take an interest in science if it is made entertaining. Therefore, science communicators put a great deal of effort into making it seem fascinating, attractive and cool. These days, science stories need to be truly immersive, with a mix of stunning photographs, video, illustrations and visual effects. These elements are often arranged in the most creative way possible, in order to engage a wide range of readers. ___ However, science communication is not just about informing people, or even keeping them informed. It is also concerned with setting up a dialogue between scientists and the public. The field has been grappling with the question of how to genuinely give the public a voice for several years. One option is consensus conferences, where a group of citizens are presented with evidence on a specific issue from experts and use what they have learnt to formulate recommendations. ___ Elsewhere, rather than writing it into law, some funding organisations make engagement with laypeople a condition of providing research funding. Clearly, not everyone is going to be motivated to enter into dialogue with scientists. However, for those who are engaged, this is a chance to speak on behalf of non-scientists. ___ While this kind of practice has been criticised for exploiting laypeople by getting them to work as unpaid research assistants, overall, it is seen as a positive way to involve a wider section of the community in science. This and various other initiatives taken by science communicators have meant that careers in science are now viewed as exciting, future-focused and accessible to everyone.

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