This project consists of multiple studies to bridge the gap between experts and the general public – especially focusing on science communication in the mass media.

In this project we focus on how research findings are communicated by experts to the general public. What is going wrong? And how can we improve science communication?

For instance, we analyze how health news is being exaggerated in the media and what is the source of these exaggerations.

We also look at the difference between experts and general public when it comes to defining jargon – to see where further explanations are necessary.

Publications

• Overdreven gezondheidsnieuws - Relatie tussen overdrijving in academische persberichten en in nieuwsmedia (Dutch)
• Geoscience on television: a review of science communication literature in the context of geosciences
• Kristensen, S. W., Cramer, J., McCollam, A., Reijnierse, W. G., & Smeets, I. (2021). The matter of complex anti-matter: the portrayal and framing of physics in Dutch newspapers. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 20(7).
• Willems, S., Albers, C., & Smeets, I. (2020). Variability in the interpretation of probability phrases used in Dutch news articles—a risk for miscommunication. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 19(02), A03.
• Bossema, F. G., Burger, P., Bratton, L., Challenger, A., Adams, R. C., Sumner, P., ... & Smeets, I. (2019). Expert quotes and exaggeration in health news: a retrospective quantitative content analysis. Wellcome Open Research, 4.

 

• health
• science communication