"Citizen science is a vast field. It covers the spectrum of research approaches and offers different methods for engaging volunteers with research in a variety of ways. Common to every citizen science project is a need to communicate with the public effectively. This to recruit and retain citizen sc
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ientists, but equally to inform, train and thank them, in the proper manner, when the project ends. It was this need which prompted Scivil, the Flemish Knowledge Centre for Citizen Science, to set up the working group on communication and participation. The working group decided to document its communication expertise in this guide for anyone who plans to initiate a citizen science project [...] In this guide we provide the building blocks to write up a communication plan for your project, and we include exercises on how to identify a target audience and reach out to schools. We also offer a set of tactics and tools, to secure the initial and continued participation of your citizen scientists. Finally, with our practical tips, you can begin the job of defining your communication plan and choosing the right tactics for effective communication in citizen science. This guide is for anyone who finds themselves communicating and engaging with citizen scientists. The content of the guide is based on studies of citizen participation and the real-life experience of science communicators." (Preface, page 4)
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"This guideline has been developed by the authors in a collaborative manner over the period May 2018-May 2019 in consultation with the Knowledge Management for Development (KM4Dev) community. It is designed to provide guidance for development organizations who are setting up portals –also known as
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knowledge portals, hubs and websites– as a way of counteracting what is known as portal proliferation syndrome. The guideline provides a checklist of issues which are important in the development of portals, covering what to take into account before starting, during the design phase and implementation, and technical standards and specifications. The checklist will be further developed to identify the most important issues." (Page 83)
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"This guide grows out of the research project “Evidence-based Science Communication with Policymakers” conducted by the four authors and sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences and the Rita Allen Foundation. In order to write these recommendations, we spent over a year studying science com
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munication with policymakers from several vantage points. We reviewed hundreds of scholarly works on the topic published in over a dozen fields as well as numerous practical guides written by scientific societies. We interviewed both Democratic and Republican Congressional policymakers, including 22 Members of Congress and 20 staff members." (Introduction, page 4)
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"Once the persuasion took hold that science should open up to the public and these questions were raised, it became clear that coming up with satisfactory answers would be a complex challenge. The inaccessibility of scientific language and methods, due to ever increasing specialisation, is at the ba
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se of its very success. Thus, translating specialised knowledge to become understandable, interesting and relevant to various publics creates particular perils. This is exacerbated by the ongoing disruption of the public discourse through the digitisation of communication platforms. For example, the availability of medical knowledge on the internet and the immense opportunities to inform oneself about health risks via social media are undermined by the manipulable nature of this technology that does not allow its users to distinguish between credible content and misinformation. In countries around the world, scientists, policy-makers and the public have high hopes for science communication: that it may elevate its populations educationally, that it may raise the level of sound decision-making for people in their daily lives, and that it may contribute to innovation and economic well-being. This collection of current reflections gives an insight into the issues that have to be addressed by research to reach these noble goals, for South Africa and by South Africans in particular."
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"The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research covers the craft that is and the methods used in media and communication policy research. It discusses the steps involved in conducting research, from deciding on a topic to writing a report and everything in between and, furthermore, deals
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with a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. The handbook invites researchers to rediscover trusted methods such as document analysis, elite interviews and comparisons, as well as to familiarize themselves with newer methods like experiments, big data and network analysis. For each method, the handbook provides a practical step-by-step guide and case studies that help readers in using that method in their own research. The methods discussed are useful for all areas of media and communication policy research, for research concerning the governance of both mass media and online platforms, and for policy issues around the globe." (Publisher description)
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"Based primarily on a systematic review of the relevant literature between 2000 and 2017, this article reflects on the state of journalism about science in developing countries, with a focus on its issues, challenges and implications for their developmental processes and causes. Five major themes em
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erge from our analysis: (a) heavy dependence on foreign sources, especially the media of the Global North; (b) the low status of domestic science news in newsrooms; (c) uncritical science reporting that easily lends itself to influences of non-science vested interests; (d) tight grip of politics on science journalism; and (e) ineffective relationships between science and journalism. We will demonstrate that, while some of these problems exist in the North, they can have far more severe consequences on the progress of the South, where news plays an almost exclusive role in informing and engaging laypeople with science and its socio-cultural, economic and political implications." (Abstract)
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"Thank you for your interest in the AuthorAID Effective Mentorship in Research Communication Toolkit, designed for established researchers in low- and medium-income countries, who mentor PhD students or junior colleagues in research communication. For the purposes of this toolkit, we define research
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communication as the process of interpreting or translating scientific research into a language, format and context that specialists and non-specialists can understand. It involves a network of stakeholders for example researchers, editors, journalists, policymakers, governments generally, user organizations and the public, who are all potential users of research." (Page 5)
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"Thank you for your interest in the AuthorAID writing clubs toolkit, designed primarily for individuals in low- and medium-income countries who are considering, or might consider, starting a writing club. It can also serve individuals who wish to develop existing writing clubs further. Participants
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may be at any career stage - administrators, faculty members of various ranks, postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate students have all established successful writing clubs. For the purposes of this toolkit, a writing club consists of people who meet periodically to discuss their writing, within the context of research communication. The club may be in person, electronically, or both. And it may focus on the writing process, the writing product, or both." (Page 5)
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"The debate on Facebook raises questions about the use and users of this information service. This collected volume gathers a broad spectrum of social science and information science articles about Facebook. Facebook has many facets, and we just look forward above all to the use and users. The facet
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of users has sub-facets, such as different age, sex, and culture. The facet of use consists of sub-facets of privacy behavior after the Snowden affair, dealing with friends, unfriending and becoming unfriended on Facebook, and possible Facebook addiction. We also consider Facebook as a source for local temporary history and respond to acceptance and quality perceptions of this social network service, as well. This book brings together all the contributions of research facets on Facebook." (Publisher description)
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"[...] los textos de las ocho ponencias ofrecen una introducción a la epidemiología con abundantes explicaciones y referencias de utilidad para los informadores en su trabajo cotidiano. El Cuaderno recoge ta mbién la crónica del debate que tuvo lugar entre periodistas y epidemiólogos, una bibli
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ografía básica y una lista de 44 mensajes clave sobre epidemiología para periodistas y comunicadores. Esta lista de “píldoras informativas” condensa los principales mensajes de los ponentes y contiene algunas pautas que pueden ayudar a mejorar las habilidades de los periodistas y comunicadores cuando se enfrentan a un estudio epidemiológico." (Presentación, página vii-viii)
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"Communicating research findings to potential users outside the academic community, whether in government, business, Third Sector or the general public, has, or at least should become, an essential element in most social scientists’ working lives. Engaging with the media enables you not just to re
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ach ‘opinion formers’, the public and their academic peers, it is also the most effective way of: communicating research to potential users; raising your profile; getting involved in wider public debate; meeting the broader obligations of accountability that are incumbent on all publicly funded researchers. This publication provides some practical guidelines on how you can engage with the media in order to have a greater impact on the national debate. It will also provide you with information about: what makes a good news story; working effectively with journalist; writing press releases; giving TV and radio interviews; working with radio and TV documentary makers." (Introduction)
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"This handbook is designed to serve the needs of anyone who conducts, plans, or implements clinical trials—especially trials that evaluate new drugs or interventions in a community setting. We want to make your job easier, whether you are a researcher, a study coordinator, or a communications prof
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essional. Objectives: provide practical guidance to clinical trial staff and research partners on how to anticipate and respond to the special communications challenges posed by the conduct of clinical research in resource-limited settings; share lessons learned from case studies of actual experiences running trials in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the United States and Europe; supply hard copy and electronic versions of diagnostic tools, sample templates, and model examples of communications plans and materials that sites can adapt for use in their communications planning and implementation." (Page 2)
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"About 49 percent of the World Bank’s policy reports, which are published Economic and Sector Work or Technical Assistance reports, have the stated objective of informing the public debate or influencing the development community. This study uses information on downloads and citations to assess wh
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ether policy reports meet this objective. About 13 percent of policy reports were downloaded at least 250 times while more than 31 percent of policy reports are never downloaded. Almost 87 percent of policy reports were never cited. More expensive, complex, multi-sector, core diagnostics reports on middle-income countries with larger populations tend to be downloaded more frequently. Multi-sector reports also tend to be cited more frequently. Internal knowledge sharing matters as cross support provided by the World Bank’s Research Department consistently increases downloads and citations." (Abstract)
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"Dealing with uncertainty has been an important and distinct topic for PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (formerly MNP) and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), in terms of analysis and communication. Acting responsibly with regard to this issue is
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important; particularly where policy analyses are concerned. Without adequate attention to the role and implications of uncertainty, the outcome of research and assessments may be of limited value and could result in incorrect policy decisions, with all the attendant consequences. However, the general public does not always appear in need of very detailed information in ‘documents full of subtle distinctions’. Consequently, information on uncertainty is not always considered relevant, understood, or even noticed. Thus, uncertainty remains an awkward issue and a challenge for the authors of policy reports. This Guide comprises hints and points of attention, as well as questions that researchers should try to answer when communicating about uncertainty (e.g. in written reports and presentations). It is not intended as a protocol; every situation is unique and demands its own approach. Thus, the Guide for Uncertainty Communication is intended to support the researcher/communicator in making well-considered choices. Communication on uncertainty regarding a particular study requires having a clear picture of why this communication is important and to whom it should be addressed. For this, the issues and concerns of the intended target audience(s) must be known, as well as all relevant uncertainties involved in the study and their possible effects on the results of the study. This involves serious reflection on certain topics, such as on where uncertainties originate, what significance and/or implications they have, if uncertainty may be reduced, on the context of the study, and on the manner in which uncertainty was dealt with in the study. The purpose of the study will strongly determine what uncertainty information would be relevant. For example, a study which primarily deals with the effects of policy measures will focus less on uncertainty about the severity of environmental problems than would be the case when a newly emerging environmental problem is explored. Addressing these questions, ideally, would provide a clear insight into all relevant aspects of uncertainty, which should be communicated effectively to the intended target audiences. This Guide is set up to support this process." (Preface, pages 4-5)
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"The International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) was approached by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in December 2010 to provide research communication support to seven of the IDRC ACACIA programme’s research partners (PANAF, UHIN, GRACE, RIA, P
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ICTURE, OASIS and eARN). This review aims to assess to what extent the activities INASP planned and implemented have contributed to building the communication capacity of the partners. We assess INASP’s approach by reviewing how the project was designed and implemented and identify a number of lessons that could be been learned from the process. Finally we make recommendations for future initiatives on capacity building for better communication. In short, we consider that the initiative has contributed to increasing the awareness of the importance of communications, as well as a strategic understanding by the partners of how to inform policy through the communication of research. INASP’s approach has also provided the partners with some practical tools to improve their communication (such as press releases, communication strategy etc.). However, the level of interest from the partners and the unique challenge of how to build the capacity of networks were not sufficiently well understood and as a consequence not all of the partners engaged with the process to get the most out of the project. In this document we analyse the different phases of the project, what challenges were met and why, and suggest how a deeper learning and more transformative effects could have been achieved." (Summary)
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"The process of knowledge brokering in the agricultural sector, where it is generally called agricultural extension, has been studied since the 1950s. While agricultural extension initially employed research push models, it gradually moved towards research pull and collaborative research models. The
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current agricultural innovation systems perspective goes beyond seeing research as the main input to change and innovation, and recognises that innovation emerges from the complex interactions among multiple actors and is about fostering combined technical, social and institutional change. As a result of adopting this innovation systems perspective, extension is refocusing to go beyond enhancing research uptake, and engaging in systemic facilitation or what has been called ‘innovation brokering’. Innovation brokering is about performing several linkage building and facilitation activities in innovation systems, creating an enabling context for effective policy formulation and implementation, development and innovation. Conclusions are that an innovation systems perspective also has relevance for sectors other than agriculture, which implies that in these sectors knowledge brokering as enhancing research uptake and use should be complemented with broader innovation brokering activities." (Abstract)
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