Some Ways Around Writer's Block

Why is it IMPORTANT to popularize science?

• Taxpayers have a right to know what scientists are up to. • Granting agencies and politicians must justify research budgets and private donors must be convinced to contribute. “the High Quality Research Act, proposed by Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) in April of last year, was designed to ensure that NSF only supports projects addressing problems “that are of the utmost importance to society at large.” The ability to communicate the societal value of basic research to nonacademic audiences is therefore morphing from an optional soft skill to a crucial tool for scientists who are competing over finite or shrinking resources for research.”

Yeo SK, Cacciatore MA, Brossard D, Scheufele DA, Xenos MA (2014) ”Science gone social.” The Scientist http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/40992/title/Science-Gone-Social/ Why is it IMPORTANT to popularize science? • Taxpayers have a right to know what scientists are up to. • Granting agencies and politicians must justify research budgets and private donors must be convinced to contribute. • Most people are interested in and want to know about new discoveries. • Citizens need to know in order to form an opinion about how scientific findings are to be used (i.e., to have an impact). • Recruiting the next generation of researchers. Why is it IMPORTANT to popularize science? (other suggestions from earlier courses) • To dispel myths and show the power of analytical thinking

• To improve awareness of diseases and other dangers

• To explain why animal research is still necessary

• To show that we are not “mad scientists” Why should YOU popularize science?

• IT IS SIMPLY PART OF YOUR JOB!

• You understand your own research better than anyone else. Poll in the United States, 2013, concerning trust for journalists in connection with reporting science: 12% have a lot of trust

57% have a little trust

26% have no trust http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/21/faith-in- scientists_n_4481487.html Why should YOU popularize science?

• IT IS SIMPLY PART OF YOUR JOB!

• You understand your own research better than anyone else. • Explaining your research to laymen will probably give you a new perspective, new insights. • Maintaining contact with the non-academic world can be highly satisfying AND EVEN FUN!!! Popularizing science gives you skills that will be helpful in connection with

• recruiting subjects

• obtaining ethical approval

• informing your colleagues Communication problems between scientists and the general public

Scientists’ distrust of the media A perceived lack of public interest in science The most closely followed science-related news stories, 1986 – 1999 (% following the story ”very closely”) Explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger (1986): 80% San Francisco earthquake (1989): 73% Hurricane Andrew (1992): 66% Floods in Midwest USA (1993): 65% Earthquake in Southern California (1994): 63% Cold weather in US (1994): 51% Drought in US (1988): 49% Blizzard on East Coast of US (1996): 48% Chernobyl (1986): 46% Breast implant controversy (1992): 24% Mammogram controversy (1997): 23% Plans to clone people (1998): 21% Asian flu (1998): 19% Cloning of Dolly (1997): 17% Viagra (1998): 15% Debate on global warming (1997): 9% Evidence of beginning of the universe (1992): 9% AIDS conference (1990): 9% Possible life on Mars (1996): 8% Cloning of mice (1998): 6% Communication problems between scientists and the general public

Scientists’ distrust of the media A perceived lack of public interest in science Communication barriers Popular science summary: Background

Make it relevant to the life of the reader! Some particularly successful beginnings

Pregnancy can be an anxious time for any expectant parents, and this only compounded if there are uncertainties or concerns about the mother or baby´s wellbeing.

Vaccination can save millions of people from life-threatening diseases. Some particularly successful beginnings

The global obesity rate continues to grow, but calorie-rich diets and sedentary lifestyles only explain a part of the problem.

Have you ever seen a small spot of mold in your bread and wondered: is it safe to eat? If yes, then you should know that there is no easy answer. Popular science summary: The project itself

Cop-out number 1: write nothing about your project, what you actually plan to do or have done (most common) Cop out number 2: start using highly technical terminology or trying to explain highly technical procedures. Cop-out number 3: Just explain the parts that are easy to explain. Before revising, why not try to explain your project to non-scientist friends and relatives over a glass of beer or wine or, if you prefer, a cup of coffee or tea. Their questions will give you considerable insight into the type of language you can use when communicating with the general public. Albert Einstein:

If you can´t explain it to a 6-year-old, you don´t understand it yourself! Unfortunately, when communicating with the general public, you can choose between being precise and being understood, you can seldom have both. Suggestions to improve communication between scientists and news media

• Scientists should take courses in communication • Journalists should take courses in science. • Every article published in a scientific journal should contain a brief summary, in plain English, of the findings and their general relevance. • Science organizations should maintain homepages and employ people responsible for communicating with journalists. Communication problems between scientists and the general public

Scientists’ distrust of the media A perceived lack of public interest in science Communication barriers Poorly informed, inadequately educated public What the public knows

• >70% know that: • Oxygen comes from plants. • The continents have been moving for millions of years. • Light travels faster than sound. • The Earth goes around the sun (not vice-versa). • Not all radioactivity is man-made.

• <50% know that: • The earliest humans did not live at the same time as the dinosaurs. • It takes the Earth one year to go around the sun. • Electrons are smaller than atoms. • Antibiotics do not kill viruses. • Lasers do not work by focusing sound waves.

11% could define a molecule 22% could define DNA Communication problems between scientists and the general public

Scientists’ distrust of the media A perceived lack of public interest in science Communication barriers Poorly informed, inadequately educated public Public distrust of scientists Attitudes of scientists (S), legislators (L) and the public (P) towards science and technology

Statement (% agreeing) S L P

Science is the best source of reliable 83 67 67 knowledge about the world.

Science can eventually explain everything. 50 50 50

Attitudes of scientists (S), legislators (L) and the public (P) towards science and technology

Statement (% agreeing) S L P

Science is the best source of reliable 83 67 67 knowledge about the world.

Science can eventually explain everything. 50 50 50

Technology has become dangerous and 13 15 40 unmanageable. The same scientific evidence can almost 22 50 65 always be interpreted to fit opposing points of view. The results of scientific research will almost 36 50 65 always be significantly influenced by the values and self-interests of the researcher. Poll in the United States, 2013, concerning whether information in scientific studies is influenced by the companies or organizations sponsoring them: 43% often

39% sometimes

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/21/faith-in- scientists_n_4481487.html Fortunately, people in Sweden have a much more positive attitude towards research (in spite of Macchiarini)

(see Vetenskap i Samhället – resultat från SOM-undersökningen 2017 https://v-a.se/2018/06/varapport2018_3/) 62% have a lot or fairly much confidence in researchers.

Only 3% have very or relatively little confidence in researchers.

The areas in which researchers are most highly trusted are medicine, technology and the natural sciences. Researchers are most trusted by people with higher education, who live in larger cities and who are interested in politics.

20-29-year-olds trust medical researchers least; while people 65-85 years old express least trust in all other types of researchers. Describing science so the layman can understand

“Hook”: Why should the reader read this article instead of something else?

Background: What are the roots of the story? Or is it something totally new?

Action: What’s going on? How big, how much? Who is doing it?

Evidence: How strong is it? Are there conflicting hypotheses?

Impact: So far? Potential?

Future: What’s next? Describing science so the layman can understand

I. STRUCTURE • Begin with an exciting question or observation and ”hook” the reader as soon as possible. • Thereafter, build up your story in a simple, clear and logical fashion. Working from an outline is often a good strategy. • Use a lot of illustrative and easily accessible pictures, diagrams, graphs and tables. When lecturing, use even models and simple experiments. Finding illustrations for your popular science writing

Just Google it! There are 100´s, if not 1000´s of more-of-less relevant illustrations that can be used for free (though you should always give a reference to the source) Use pictures and schematic illustrations!

Describing science so the layman can understand

II. LINGUISTIC ASPECTS

• Use appropriate language, i.e., avoid the use of too many specialized words. • In general, use shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs than in scientific writing. • Write not only clearly, but as excitingly and as elegantly as you can. • Use a relatively informal tone, employing metaphors, comparisons, examples from everyday life. Describing science so the layman can understand

SOME METAPHORS FROM EARLIER COURSES • Bacteria regard us as a walking smörgåsbord • The immune system is an army defending the castle of our body • NK cells are the assassins of the immune system • DNA is curled up like a ball of thread • Having dementia is like getting lost in a dark forest • Fibrosis is like a spider web in a haunted house • A virus is a trojan horse that hijacks cells Describing science so the layman can understand

SOME METAPHORS FROM EARLIER COURSES • Brains circuits make up an orchestra composed of a variety of instruments playing in harmony. • DNA is like a recipe book in the library, RNA is a copy of the appropriate pages and the resultant protein the dish you whip up in the kitchen • The differentiation of stem cells can be compared to educating students for different occupations • The checkpoints during mitosis are like police officers who are making sure that the laws are being followed • ATP is the cell´s gasoline • Proteins are small machines Describing science so the layman can understand

III. GENERAL ASPECTS • Accept a certain level of not-totally-precise simplification. (Be prepared for criticism from certain scientific colleagues!)

• At the same time, pretend that you are explaining to an audience that contains both scientists and non-scientists. Make sure your mother and father would also understand.

• Do not talk down to your audience.

• If the subject is controversial, say so.

• Populate your article with people. Describing science so the layman can understand

III. GENERAL ASPECTS

• Spell out how the research may affect the everyday life of the layman.

• Use the Internet and social media: YouTube, FACEBOOK! Twitter, blogs “In fact, Twitter has been found to amplify the positive effects of scientists’ interactions with more traditional forms of media, thus increasing a scientist’s prominence. In other words, engagement with social media may bring rewards in and outside of the ivory tower.”

Paul Berg (nobel prize winner) illustrates protein synthesis with dancers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTRmvnlNV w4 Describing science so the layman can understand

III. GENERAL ASPECTS

• Spell out how the research may affect the everyday life of the layman.

• Use the Internet and social media: YouTube, FACEBOOK! Twitter, blogs

• When writing your thesis, write a popular summary in addition to the strictly scientific abstract. Popular science specifically concerning KI KI publishes a magazine entitled “Medicinsk vetenskap”, with an annual edition in English as well.

On the KI website, you can find a link to Nyhetsarkiv, a list of all articles concerning KI that have appeared in the mass media.