ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews how past research in political communication and that makes sense of science-related policy debates by drawing upon a mental toolkit of cognitive short cuts and easily applied criteria. From a normative standpoint, empowering citizens to participate in collective decisions about science-related policy is central to the functioning of a democracy, especially when citizens are expected to bear both the costs and the risks of a policy decision. Identifying the frames that apply to a science-related policy debate should be approached both deductively and inductively. Across many policy debates there usually exists expert agreement, or at least an emerging body of scientific knowledge, by which first premise truth claims can be evaluated. As professionals, both scientists and journalists share a deep ethical commitment to truth-telling and accuracy.
