ABSTRACT

Given current science-related crises facing the world such as climate change, the targeting and manipulation of DNA, GMO foods, and vaccine denial, the way in which we communicate science matters is vital for current and future generations of scientists and publics.

The Routledge Handbook of Scientific Communication scrutinizes what we value, prioritize, and grapple with in science as highlighted by the rhetorical choices of scientists, students, educators, science gatekeepers, and lay commentators. Drawing on contributions from leading thinkers in the field, this volume explores some of the most pressing questions in this growing field of study, including:

  • How do issues such as ethics, gender, race, shifts in the publishing landscape, and English as the lingua franca of science influence scientific communication practices?
  • How have scientific genres evolved and adapted to current research and societal needs? 
  • How have scientific visuals developed in response to technological advances and communication needs? 
  • How is scientific communication taught to a variety of audiences? 

Offering a critical look at the complex relationships that characterize current scientific communication practices in academia, industry, government, and elsewhere, this Handbook will be essential reading for students, scholars, and professionals involved in the study, practice, and teaching of scientific, medical, and technical communication.

 

part 1|143 pages

Scientific research, writing, and publishing

chapter 1|11 pages

The scholarly publishing landscape

chapter 3|11 pages

The new norm

Open access publishing and scientific research

chapter 4|11 pages

Ethical issues in scientific publication

Rapidly evolving practices in the global scientific community

chapter 5|11 pages

My testimony

Black Feminist Thought in scientific communication

chapter 10|12 pages

Measuring impact

part 2|88 pages

Scientific communication genres

chapter 14|11 pages

The scientific article

Variation and change in knowledge communication practices

chapter 16|9 pages

Grant proposals in the academic sphere

A historical review

chapter 17|11 pages

Searching for the “magic elixir”

Uncertainty in developing specific aims and broader impacts for NIH and NSF grants

chapter 18|13 pages

Examining tensions between technical communication principles and scientific practice

Does jargon belong on scientific posters? 1

chapter 21|10 pages

Scientist citizens

Nontraditional and alternative approaches to scientific communication

part 3|89 pages

Scientific visuals and multimedia

chapter 22|24 pages

Speaking to the eyes

A historical overview of data visualization in the sciences

chapter 24|17 pages

Graphical abstracts

Visually circulating scientific arguments

chapter 25|17 pages

Doing science digitally

The role of multimodal interactive representations in scientific rhetoric

chapter 26|10 pages

Science communication, visual rhetoric, and eBird

The role of participatory science communication in fostering empathy for species

part 4|83 pages

Scientific communication pedagogy

chapter 29|11 pages

Threshold concepts in scientific writing literacy

What citizens and scientists need to know about scientific writing

chapter 31|15 pages

Professional development in science communication for practicing scientists

The role of science communication training programs in shaping participating scientists' skills

chapter 32|12 pages

Grand challenges

A case study in the complications of and best practices for writing across the curriculum in scientific and technical communication classrooms