All the Science that’s Tit to Blog - ARCS Talk

All the Science That Is Fit to Blog: An Analysis of Science Blogging Practices

PAIGE BROWN JARREAU

All the Science That’s Fit to Blog

• Routines, norms, values and content decisions of science bloggers

Qualitative, in-depth InterviewsSummer 2014

Survey of 600 science bloggers, Fall 2014

In-Depth InterviewsHOUR-LONG, QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WITH

51 SCIENCE BLOGGERS

DIGITAL INTERVIEWS

31 WOMEN / 20 MEN19 INDEPENDENT BLOGGERS

21 NEWS MEDIA NETWORK BLOGGERS7 NON-NEWS-MEDIA NETWORK BLOGGERS

22 PAID TO BLOG19 CAREER COMMUNICATORS

29 IN SCIENCE RESEARCH / ACADEMIA12 CURRENTLY STUDENTS

7 GROUP BLOGGERS3 PSEUDONYMOUS BLOGGERS

US / UK CENTRIC

Survey of Science Bloggers

ONLINE SURVEY

610 VALID RESPONSES

345 MALES256 FEMALES

400 INDEPENDENT BLOGGERS210 NETWORK BLOGGERS

Index of 2,112 Science Blogs

Blogging Practices: Major Themes(based on qualitative interview analysis)

• Blogging for Myself…• Blogworthiness determined by personal interests (“things I find

interesting/cool”) and passions, enjoyment and self-expression (a creative outlet).

• Using oneself as a proxy for readers: ‘if I’m interested in this, others will be too.’

• Writing freedom a key characteristic of blogging

• … to Popularize Science• A translational/explainer role• Considering reader interests (science of everyday things;

relatable)• Reaching a broader audience• Wow factor• Majority of surveyed science bloggers blog for a science-

interested non-specialist general audience.

• Journalistic Routines• Blogworthiness determined by traditional news factors,

including what is topical and timely, novel, unexpected, important/relevant to the reader or society, etc.

• Science bloggers may be socialized into journalistic practices

• Outreach, Education and Engagement• A majority of science bloggers mentioned outreach or

educational approaches to selecting/producing blog content

• Communicating the process and realities of science

• A strong motivation to popularize and explain science to non-expert audiences characterizes much of science blogging today

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• As an Expert• Staying within one’s area of expertise,

translating research or countering misinformation based on one’s own expertise

• 21% of surveyed bloggers having Master’s degrees and nearly 48% (N = 290) having doctorate degrees

How often do you engage in the

following roles in your blogging?

Survey question based on Fahy, D., & Nisbet, M. C. (2011).

The science journalist online: Shifting roles and emerging practices.

Perceived Blogging Roles depend on…

• Occupation

• (research/academia vs. writing/journalism)

• Science Communication Training

• Those with scicomm training engage in the role of advocate significantly more often than those without such training even when controlling for other factors

• Gender

• Male science bloggers report engaging in the roles of watchdog and media critic more often than do female science bloggers. Female science bloggers report engaging in the role of explainer more often.

• Blog Location

• Network bloggers engage more often as public intellectuals and investigative reporters

Blogging Practices: Major Themes

• The ECOSYSTEM Approach• Science bloggers are paying attention to content that their

fellow bloggers and science writers are producing

Phil's 1stPix, Flickr.com

Ecosystem Approach

Value-Added Blogging

Finding a Niche;

Something Different

Avoiding stories/topics covered (well) by others

Keeping track of blogs in one’s topic area

Having a unique angle or something to contribute

Sticking to core topics

Focusing on exclusive, unique content

Blogging to fill a topic/niche gap

Not a slave to the news cycle I can elaborate on

this, do something special with this

Blogs as a place for opinions, interpretation,

personal commentary

Having a creative spin on a story, a

personal insight, etc.

What factors determine science blog content?

Adaptation of Shoemaker and Reese’s hierarchy of influence model

Social Network Analysis

SURVEY PARTICIPANTS ASKED TO LISTUP TO THE TOP 3 SCIENCE BLOGS THEY READ ON A REGULAR BASIS.

DATA MAPPED IN GEPHI

COMMUNITY DETECTION BYMODULARITY CLASS

Jarreau, Paige B (2014): MySciBlog Survey -

Top Read SciBlogs by SciBloggers. figshare.

http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1278974

Summary

• Large majority of science bloggers blog for themselves and to popularize science.

• Many science bloggers adopt scientific community values including concern for education and outreach in the production of their blogs.

• Growth and professionalization of the science blogosphere has had an impact on approaches, values and routines.• Ecosystem Approach

• Community-level factors shape science blog content• Other bloggers; Online vulnerability and community acceptance

• Mix of traditional journalistic routines and emergent science blogging routines

• Logistics and editorial processes can strongly guide network and group blogging content routines, and even “independent” bloggers’ decisions

Thank You

bit.ly/MySciBlogThesis

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