Communicating Science: Your Role in Building Public Trust
By Kylie Wolfe
As a scientist, you’re focused on advancing knowledge through research, but effectively communicating your discoveries is just as important. This is your opportunity to make science approachable and impactful to increase the public’s understanding of and trust in your work.
According to a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, members of the Strategic Council of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that the public’s confidence in science is declining. Even though 84 percent of people are very or somewhat confident in the competency, trustworthiness, and honesty of scientists, only 53 percent said that scientists provide unbiased conclusions.
With this in mind, here are a few tips to help you share your science and instill confidence beyond academia.
Organize Your Thoughts
Whether you’re drafting a grant application, communicating with fellow scientists, or interacting with the public, organizing your thoughts is an important first step. Ask yourself about your findings, their significance, any challenges you faced, and any biases you may have. Sharing these details with your audience will help them understand your methods, motivations, and conclusions.
According to the study mentioned earlier, 84 percent of participants agreed that it’s somewhat or very important to be transparent about your funding source. Disclosing this information, for example, helps readers understand why a study may have been initiated and whether they should be concerned about biased results.
Write with Your Audience in Mind
The tone you choose will ultimately depend on who is reading or hearing about your work, what they know about the subject, and what you hope for them to learn. It’s likely you’re discussing something that hasn’t been described before or that your audience isn’t familiar with. It may feel like you’re overexplaining—but that’s okay.
"The explanation you provide to a fellow scientist should not be the same explanation you provide to a member of the public."
For your audience to understand your work, you must consider their knowledge gaps. You’ll want to break down scientific jargon and define acronyms, especially if you’re going to refer to them later. If words or concepts can’t be simplified without losing their meaning, take time to provide detailed descriptions.
Instill Trust in Your Work
As you share your work with others, especially non-scientists, it can be challenging to balance accuracy with simplicity. But, presenting your research in a new and digestible way without compromising factual information is essential for establishing trust. This, of course, requires you to have a deep understanding of the topic and its relevance, to stick to your key points, and to provide thorough explanations.
You can use analogies and metaphors to help you bridge the gap between complex research and general understanding, but this will require clarity and precision. Any inconsistencies or ambiguities could be misinterpreted, making it harder to regain your reader’s trust. Carefully review your work and collaborate with other scientists to help catch these errors before it’s too late.
Maintain Important Values
No matter how you approach your work, doing so with a clear moral compass matters to your audience. In addition to clear and honest reporting, this means being open to critiques, engaging in peer review, and acknowledging any shortcomings you may have experienced in your research.
Communicating science, especially from a scientist’s perspective, is about sharing the wonder of discovery. It’s an opportunity to shape the future of STEM by contributing to a scientifically literate society, encouraging others to trust science, stay curious, and make informed decisions. As you make advancements in your field, know that by taking the time to write about and communicate your science, you’re making the world a better place.
Kylie Wolfe is a Thermo Fisher Scientific staff writer.
