Telling stories in science communication: case studies of scholar-practitioner collaboration

Abstract

Reflecting on the practice of storytelling, this practice insight explores how collaborations between scholars and practitioners can improve storytelling for science communication outcomes with publics. The case studies presented demonstrate the benefits of collaborative storytelling for inspiring publics, promoting understanding of science, and engaging publics more deliberatively in science. The projects show how collaboration between scholars and practitioners [in storytelling] can happen across a continuum of scholarship from evaluation and action research to more critical thinking perspectives. They also show how stories of possible futures and community efficacy can support greater engagement of publics in evidence-informed policymaking. Storytelling in collaborations between scholars and practitioners involves many activities: combining cultural and scientific understandings; making publics central to storytelling; equipping scientists to tell their own stories directly to publics; co-creating stories; and retelling collaborative success stories. Collaborative storytelling, as demonstrated in these case studies, may improve the efficacy of science communication practice as well as its scholarship.

Jargon use in Public Understanding of Science papers over three decades

“…It includes 'scientists of all disciplines, research managers, and science communication practitioners' that for the purpose of clarity will be referred from now on as 'practitioners'. Research practice partnership between science communication scholars and practitioners may present benefit for practice by inspiring publics, promoting understanding of science and engaging publics more deliberatively in science based on the best evidence available (Riedlinger et al, 2019). It may also advance science communication research 'through the development, use, and evaluation of evidence-based approaches to the practice of communicating with people about science' (Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication Research and Practice, 2020).…”

Comic for Developing Big Data Literacy

“…Every comic needs a good story in the process of making it as well as scientific communication. Storytelling, an effective method for scientific communication, has been used for a general audience and among scientific communication experts and practitioners (Riedlinger et al, 2019). Storytelling can be used to communicate science to address various objectives: from raising awareness to critical deliberations on science (Igarashi et al, 2020).…”

Communicating astronomy with the public: perspectives of an international community of practice

“…Science communication scholars have put forth several proposals to do so in a systematic manner [Falk and Needham, 2011;Fischhoff, 2019;Jensen and Gerber, 2020], which could create collaboration opportunities between research and practice in science communication. Projects involving storytelling, where this kind of cooperation has shown several advantages to research and practice likewise, may also offer interesting opportunities [Riedlinger et al, 2019]. Yet another example is research on emotions and emotional appeals in the context of science communication, which suggests that they can be an instrument to promote action and a significant predictor of perceived trustworthiness [Reif et al, 2020;Taddicken and Reif, 2020].…”