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Branch TA, Cȏté IM, David SR, Drew JA, LaRue M, Márquez MC, Parsons ECM, Rabaiotti D, Shiffman D, Steen DA, Wild AL. Controlled experiment finds no detectable citation bump from Twitter promotion. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0292201. [PMID: 38507397 PMCID: PMC10954115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies across a variety of scientific disciplines have shown that the number of times that a paper is shared on Twitter (now called X) is correlated with the number of citations that paper receives. However, these studies were not designed to answer whether tweeting about scientific papers causes an increase in citations, or whether they were simply highlighting that some papers have higher relevance, importance or quality and are therefore both tweeted about more and cited more. The authors of this study are leading science communicators on Twitter from several life science disciplines, with substantially higher follower counts than the average scientist, making us uniquely placed to address this question. We conducted a three-year-long controlled experiment, randomly selecting five articles published in the same month and journal, and randomly tweeting one while retaining the others as controls. This process was repeated for 10 articles from each of 11 journals, recording Altmetric scores, number of tweets, and citation counts before and after tweeting. Randomization tests revealed that tweeted articles were downloaded 2.6-3.9 times more often than controls immediately after tweeting, and retained significantly higher Altmetric scores (+81%) and number of tweets (+105%) three years after tweeting. However, while some tweeted papers were cited more than their respective control papers published in the same journal and month, the overall increase in citation counts after three years (+7% for Web of Science and +12% for Google Scholar) was not statistically significant (p > 0.15). Therefore while discussing science on social media has many professional and societal benefits (and has been a lot of fun), increasing the citation rate of a scientist's papers is likely not among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor A. Branch
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Isabelle M. Cȏté
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Solomon R. David
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Joshua A. Drew
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Michelle LaRue
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Melissa C. Márquez
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - E. C. M. Parsons
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter—Penryn Campus, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - D. Rabaiotti
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Shiffman
- Arizona State University, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - David A. Steen
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Alexander L. Wild
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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2
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Kim N, Skurka C, Madden S. The effects of self-disclosure and gender on a climate scientist's credibility and likability on social media. Public Underst Sci 2024:9636625231225073. [PMID: 38326976 DOI: 10.1177/09636625231225073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
To examine whether different types of disclosure made by climate scientists on social media influence perceived source credibility (i.e. competence, integrity, benevolence) and likability, we conducted a 2 (self-disclosure type: personal vs political) × 3 (proportion of posts including a self-disclosure: 20% vs 50% vs 80%) × 2 (gender identity of scientist: male vs female) between-subjects experiment (N = 734). We found that people liked the scientist more for a personal than political disclosure, rated them as being more competent for a political disclosure, and liked a female scientist more than a male scientist. However, scientist's gender did not moderate the effect of disclosure type or the effect of participants' gender. Our results suggest distinct benefits when scientists deliver different types of messages on social media, although disclosure is unlikely to have substantial effects on lay judgments of scientists' credibility.
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3
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Khalil M, Belokrys G. What Does Twitter Say About Self-Regulated Learning? Mapping Tweets From 2011 to 2021. Front Psychol 2022; 13:820813. [PMID: 35282232 PMCID: PMC8907480 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.820813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network services such as Twitter are important venues that can be used as rich data sources to mine public opinions about various topics. In this study, we used Twitter to collect data on one of the most growing theories in education, namely Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and carry out further analysis to investigate What Twitter says about SRL? This work uses three main analysis methods, descriptive, topic modeling, and geocoding analysis. The searched and collected dataset consists of a large volume of relevant SRL tweets equal to 54,070 tweets between 2011 and 2021. The descriptive analysis uncovers a growing discussion on SRL on Twitter from 2011 till 2018 and then markedly decreased till the collection day. For topic modeling, the text mining technique of Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) was applied and revealed insights on computationally processed topics. Finally, the geocoding analysis uncovers a diverse community from all over the world, yet a higher density representation of users from the Global North was identified. Further implications are discussed in the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Khalil
- Centre for the Science of Learning & Technology (SLATE), Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gleb Belokrys
- Centre for the Science of Learning & Technology (SLATE), Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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4
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Giordano V, Kojima KE, Valderrama-Molina CO, Azi ML, Bidolegui F, Pires RE. Adapting non-medical applications for medical use: Ethical limits, coverage, and validation. Injury 2021:S0020-1383(21)01003-2. [PMID: 34920873 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The widespread adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices amongst healthcare providers opened new possibilities arising from the use of non-medical apps, social media, meeting platforms, and non-medical devices with intended medical purposes, thus expanding the communication and imaging chat systems between these professionals and their patients, as well as amongst healthcare professionals. However, adapting non-medical applications, social media, videoconference platforms and devices for medical use present potential limitations, barriers, and risks, which should be fully recognized to reduce crossing the fine line between ethical and unethical. In the herein study, we analyse the ethical limits, coverage, and validation of non-medical applications adapted for medical use. Level of evidence: IV (evidence from well-designed case-control or cohort studies).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Giordano
- Serviço de Ortopedia e Traumatologia Prof. Nova Monteiro, Hospital Municipal Miguel Couto, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Clínica São Vicente, Rede D'or São Luiz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Kodi Edson Kojima
- Trauma Service, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Matheus Lemos Azi
- Manoel Victorino Hospital, Secretary of Health for the State of Bahia Conselheiro Almeida Couto square S/N, 40050-410, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Fernando Bidolegui
- Departamento de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, Hospital Sirio Libanes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Robinson Esteves Pires
- Departamento de Ortopedia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Wilson MJ, Perkin EK. Going rogue: what scientists can learn about Twitter communication from "alt" government accounts. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12407. [PMID: 34760391 PMCID: PMC8570174 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The inauguration of President Trump in the United States led to the active restriction of science communication from federal agencies, resulting in the creation of many unofficial "alt" Twitter accounts to maintain communication. Alt accounts had many followers (e.g., 15 accounts had > 100,000) and received a large amount of media attention, making them ideal for better understanding how differences in messaging can affect public engagement with science on microblogging platforms. We analyzed tweets produced by alt and corresponding official agency accounts to compare the two groups and determine if specific features of a tweet made them more likely to be retweeted or liked to help the average scientist potentially reach a broader audience on Twitter. We found adding links, images, hashtags, and mentions, as well as expressing angry and annoying sentiments all increased retweets and likes. Evidence-based terms such as "peer-review" had high retweet rates but linking directly to peer-reviewed publications decreased attention compared to popular science websites. Word choice and attention did not reflect official or alt account types, indicating topic is more important than source. The number of tweets generated and attention received by alt accounts has decreased since their creation, demonstrating the importance of timeliness in science communication on social media. Together our results show potential pathways for scientists to increase efficacy in Twitter communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Wilson
- Freshwater Research Institute, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, United States of America
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Gow EA, Burant JB, Sutton AO, Freeman NE, Grahame ERM, Fuirst M, Sorensen MC, Knight SM, Clyde HE, Quarrell NJ, Wilcox AAE, Chicalo R, Van Drunen SG, Shiffman DS. Popular press portrayal of issues surrounding free‐roaming domestic cats
Felis catus. People and Nature 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Gow
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | - Joseph B. Burant
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | - Alex O. Sutton
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | - Nikole E. Freeman
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | | | - Matthew Fuirst
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | | | - Samantha M. Knight
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
- Nature Conservancy of Canada Toronto ON Canada
| | - Hannah E. Clyde
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | | | | | - Roxan Chicalo
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | | | - David S. Shiffman
- Arizona State University New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Glendale AZ USA
- Arizona State University DC Center Washington DC USA
- David Shiffman Scientific and Environmental Consulting, INC Silver Spring MD USA
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Wood E, Ambrosini A, Wood K, Demetrio C, O'Malley WC, Stratton A, Elbroch LM. Online Noise as Illustrated by Pitfalls and Biogeography Associated With Common Names for Puma concolor. Front Conserv Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.692607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Noise is the non-target search results that people encounter when searching for a particular topic of interest; it is also the cloud of distracting data that can obscure or deflect conservation communication. Online noise associated with large carnivores is particularly dense because their defining characteristics make them salient. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) exemplify noise associated with multiple vernaculars for a species in the crosshairs of conservation conundrums. We compared internet search results, Google Trends reflecting topic interest, use in science publications and sentiment in print and online media for P. concolor's most frequent vernacular names, “mountain lion,” “cougar,” “puma” and “Florida panther.” Puma and panther exhibited greater noise and salience than cougar or mountain lion, but, results for mountain lion, followed by cougar, yielded the highest biological relevance. Online sentiment negatively correlated with biological relevance, with positive sentiment highest for the noisiest vernaculars, puma and panther. As conservation practitioners, we must recognize that public outreach is part of our scientific agenda and be conscious of crafting communication that reaches and resonates with our intended audiences.
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Abstract
Conservation relies on cooperation among different interest groups and appropriate use of evidence to make decisions that benefit people and biodiversity. However, misplaced conservation occurs when cooperation and evidence are impeded by polarization and misinformation. This impedance influences actions that directly harm biodiversity, alienate partners and disrupt partnerships, waste resources, misinform the public, and (or) delegitimize evidence. As a result of these actions, misplaced conservation outcomes emerge, making it more difficult to have positive outcomes for biodiversity. Here we describe cases where a failed appreciation for cooperation, evidence, or both have eroded efforts to conserve biodiversity. Generally, these case studies illustrate that averting misplaced conservation requires greater adherence to processes that elevate the role of evidence in decision-making and that place collective, long-term benefits for biodiversity over the short-term gains of individuals or groups. Efforts to integrate human dimensions, cooperation, and evidence into conservation will increase the efficacy and success of efforts to conserve global biodiversity while benefiting humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T. Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Abdullahi H. Ali
- Hirola Conservation Programme, PO Box 1774, Garissa 70100, Kenya
| | - Sheila R. Colla
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Clayton T. Lamb
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Jeremy Pittman
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - David S. Shiffman
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Glendale, AZ 85051, USA
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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9
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Luo C, Shang J, Zhu Y. Internet as a context: Exploring its impacts on scientific optimism in China. Information Development 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/0266666920965638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Internet brings new opportunities and challenges to scientific development and science communication. Previous studies overwhelmingly focused on individual-level Internet factors but overlooked the potential explanatory strength of Internet context. This study addresses the existing gap by examining how the Internet influences Chinese people’s scientific optimism from a comprehensive perspective (Internet as a medium and Internet as a context). Multilevel models were built based on individual-provincial merged data. The results indicate that (1) the Internet context impairs scientific optimism while Internet exposure has no significant effect. (2) The relationship between individual Internet exposure and scientific optimism varies by province. As a quantitative indicator of Internet context, Internet penetration mitigates the weakening effect of individual Internet exposure on scientific optimism. This research provides empirical evidence on scientific attitude formation in the non-Western environment and expands the analytic approach of public attitudes toward science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jia Shang
- China Research Institute for Science Popularization
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10
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Carlson J, Harris K. Quantifying and contextualizing the impact of bioRxiv preprints through automated social media audience segmentation. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000860. [PMID: 32960891 PMCID: PMC7508356 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Engagement with scientific manuscripts is frequently facilitated by Twitter and other social media platforms. As such, the demographics of a paper's social media audience provide a wealth of information about how scholarly research is transmitted, consumed, and interpreted by online communities. By paying attention to public perceptions of their publications, scientists can learn whether their research is stimulating positive scholarly and public thought. They can also become aware of potentially negative patterns of interest from groups that misinterpret their work in harmful ways, either willfully or unintentionally, and devise strategies for altering their messaging to mitigate these impacts. In this study, we collected 331,696 Twitter posts referencing 1,800 highly tweeted bioRxiv preprints and leveraged topic modeling to infer the characteristics of various communities engaging with each preprint on Twitter. We agnostically learned the characteristics of these audience sectors from keywords each user's followers provide in their Twitter biographies. We estimate that 96% of the preprints analyzed are dominated by academic audiences on Twitter, suggesting that social media attention does not always correspond to greater public exposure. We further demonstrate how our audience segmentation method can quantify the level of interest from nonspecialist audience sectors such as mental health advocates, dog lovers, video game developers, vegans, bitcoin investors, conspiracy theorists, journalists, religious groups, and political constituencies. Surprisingly, we also found that 10% of the preprints analyzed have sizable (>5%) audience sectors that are associated with right-wing white nationalist communities. Although none of these preprints appear to intentionally espouse any right-wing extremist messages, cases exist in which extremist appropriation comprises more than 50% of the tweets referencing a given preprint. These results present unique opportunities for improving and contextualizing the public discourse surrounding scientific research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jedidiah Carlson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kelley Harris
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Computational Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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11
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Abstract
This study examines messages contributed by scientists and laypeople to an online discussion about genetically modified food in China with the aim to understand whether and how scientists and laypeople apply different communication strategies with regard to framing, interaction features, and writing style. Both answers (N = 100) and comments (N = 2416) related to genetically modified food on Zhihu, the most popular social Q&A site in China, were analyzed. The analysis reveals that though there were no significant attitude differences between scientists and laypeople, the two groups tended to frame genetically modified food from quite different perspectives. Also, although scientist users were not perfect rationalists during online discussions, they were more likely to be both high-quality content contributors and active discussion facilitators.
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12
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Kidd LR, Gregg EA, Bekessy SA, Robinson JA, Garrard GE. Tweeting for their lives: Visibility of threatened species on twitter. J Nat Conserv 2018; 46:106-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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13
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Abstract
There have been strong calls for scientists to share their discoveries with society. Some scientists have heeded these calls through social media platforms such as Twitter. Here, we ask whether Twitter allows scientists to promote their findings primarily to other scientists (“inreach”), or whether it can help them reach broader, non-scientific audiences (“outreach”). We analyzed the Twitter followers of more than 100 faculty members in ecology and evolutionary biology and found that their followers are, on average, predominantly (∼55%) other scientists. However, beyond a threshold of ∼1000 followers, the range of follower types became more diverse and included research and educational organizations, media, members of the public with no stated association with science, and a small number of decision-makers. This varied audience was, in turn, followed by more people, resulting in an exponential increase in the social media reach of tweeting academic scientists. Tweeting, therefore, has the potential to disseminate scientific information widely after initial efforts to gain followers. These results should encourage scientists to invest in building a social media presence for scientific outreach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle M. Côté
- Earth to Ocean Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Emily S. Darling
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
- Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
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Lamb CT, Gilbert SL, Ford AT. Tweet success? Scientific communication correlates with increased citations in Ecology and Conservation. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4564. [PMID: 29666750 PMCID: PMC5899883 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Science communication is seen as critical for the disciplines of ecology and conservation, where research products are often used to shape policy and decision making. Scientists are increasing their online media communication, via social media and news. Such media engagement has been thought to influence or predict traditional metrics of scholarship, such as citation rates. Here, we measure the association between citation rates and the Altmetric Attention Score—an indicator of the amount and reach of the attention an article has received—along with other forms of bibliometric performance (year published, journal impact factor, and article type). We found that Attention Score was positively correlated with citation rates. However, in recent years, we detected increasing media exposure did not relate to the equivalent citations as in earlier years; signalling a diminishing return on investment. Citations correlated with journal impact factors up to ∼13, but then plateaued, demonstrating that maximizing citations does not require publishing in the highest-impact journals. We conclude that ecology and conservation researchers can increase exposure of their research through social media engagement and, simultaneously, enhance their performance under traditional measures of scholarly activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton T Lamb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sophie L Gilbert
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Adam T Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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15
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Nabout JC, Teresa FB, Machado KB, do Prado VHM, Bini LM, Diniz-filho JAF. Do traditional scientometric indicators predict social media activity on scientific knowledge? An analysis of the ecological literature. Scientometrics 2018; 115:1007-15. [DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2678-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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16
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Cooke SJ, Gallagher AJ, Sopinka NM, Nguyen VM, Skubel RA, Hammerschlag N, Boon S, Young N, Danylchuk AJ. Considerations for effective science communication. Facets (Ott) 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2016-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly common for scientists to engage in sharing science-related knowledge with diverse knowledge users—an activity called science communication. Given that many scientists now seek information on how to communicate effectively, we have generated a list of 16 important considerations for those interested in science communication: (1) Define what science communication means to you and your research; (2) Know—and listen to—your target audience; (3) Consider a diverse but coordinated communication portfolio; (4) Draft skilled players and build a network; (5) Create and seize opportunities; (6) Be creative when you communicate; (7) Focus on the science in science communication; (8) Be an honest broker; (9) Understand the science of science communication; (10) Think like an entrepreneur; (11) Don’t let your colleagues stop you; (12) Integrate science communication into your research program; (13) Recognize how science communication enhances your science; (14) Request science communication funds from grants; (15) Strive for bidirectional communication; and (16) Evaluate, reflect, and be prepared to adapt. It is our ambition that the ideas shared here will encourage readers to engage in science communication and increase the effectiveness of those already active in science communication, stimulating them to share their experiences with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute for Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Austin J. Gallagher
- Beneath the Waves, Inc., Miami, FL 33149, USA
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Natalie M. Sopinka
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9C 1A2, Canada
| | - Vivian M. Nguyen
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute for Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Rachel A. Skubel
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA
- Abess Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33146, USA
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA
- Abess Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33146, USA
| | - Sarah Boon
- Creekside Communication, Cobble Hill, BC V0R 1L6, Canada
| | - Nathan Young
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Andy J. Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Abstract
Social media has created networked communication channels that facilitate interactions and allow information to proliferate within professional academic communities as well as in informal social circumstances. A significant contemporary discussion in the field of science communication is how scientists are using (or might use) social media to communicate their research. This includes the role of social media in facilitating the exchange of knowledge internally within and among scientific communities, as well as externally for outreach to engage the public. This study investigates how a surveyed sample of 587 scientists from a variety of academic disciplines, but predominantly the academic life sciences, use social media to communicate internally and externally. Our results demonstrate that while social media usage has yet to be widely adopted, scientists in a variety of disciplines use these platforms to exchange scientific knowledge, generally via either Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or blogs. Despite the low frequency of use, our work evidences that scientists perceive numerous potential advantages to using social media in the workplace. Our data provides a baseline from which to assess future trends in social media use within the science academy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley Collins
- Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David Shiffman
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Jenny Rock
- Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
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18
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Jarrad F, Main E, Burgman M. Conservation Biology celebrates success. Conserv Biol 2016; 30:929-930. [PMID: 27429136 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
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Shiffman DS, Hammerschlag N. Preferred conservation policies of shark researchers. Conserv Biol 2016; 30:805-815. [PMID: 26662225 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing concern about the conservation status of sharks. However, the presence of numerous different (and potentially mutually exclusive) policies complicates management implementation and public understanding of the process. We distributed an online survey to members of the largest professional shark and ray research societies to assess member knowledge of and attitudes toward different conservation policies. Questions covered society member opinions on conservation and management policies, personal histories of involvement in advocacy and management, and perceptions of the approach of conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to shark conservation. One hundred and two surveys were completed (overall response rate 21%). Respondents considered themselves knowledgeable about and actively involved in conservation and management policy; a majority believed scientists have a responsibility to advocate for conservation (75%), and majorities have sent formal public comments to policymakers (54%) and included policy suggestions in their papers (53%). They believe sustainable shark fisheries are possible, are currently happening today (in a few places), and should be the goal instead of banning fisheries. Respondents were generally less supportive of newer limit-based (i.e., policies that ban exploitation entirely without a species-specific focus) conservation policy tools, such as shark sanctuaries and bans on the sale of shark fins, than of target-based fisheries management tools (i.e., policies that allow for sustainable harvest of species whose populations can withstand it), such as fishing quotas. Respondents were generally supportive of environmental NGO efforts to conserve sharks but raised concerns about some NGOs that they perceived as using incorrect information and focusing on the wrong problems. Our results show there is an ongoing debate in shark conservation and management circles relative to environmental policy on target-based natural resources management tools versus limit-based conservation tools. They also suggest that closer communication between the scientific and environmental NGO communities may be needed to recognize and reconcile differing values and objectives between these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Shiffman
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Drive #230, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, U.S.A
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Drive #230, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, U.S.A
- University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, U.S.A
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Bombaci SP, Farr CM, Gallo HT, Mangan AM, Stinson LT, Kaushik M, Pejchar L. Using Twitter to communicate conservation science from a professional conference. Conserv Biol 2016; 30:216-225. [PMID: 26081769 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Scientists are increasingly using Twitter as a tool for communicating science. Twitter can promote scholarly discussion, disseminate research rapidly, and extend and diversify the scope of audiences reached. However, scientists also caution that if Twitter does not accurately convey science due to the inherent brevity of this media, misinformation could cascade quickly through social media. Data on whether Twitter effectively communicates conservation science and the types of user groups receiving these tweets are lacking. To address these knowledge gaps, we examined live tweeting as a means of communicating conservation science at the 2013 International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB). We quantified and compared the user groups sending and reading live tweets. We also surveyed presenters to determine their intended audiences, which we compared with the actual audiences reached through live tweeting. We also asked presenters how effectively tweets conveyed their research findings. Twitter reached 14 more professional audience categories relative to those attending and live tweeting at ICCB. However, the groups often reached through live tweeting were not the presenters' intended audiences. Policy makers and government and non-governmental organizations were rarely reached (0%, 4%, and 6% of audience, respectively), despite the intent of the presenters. Plenary talks were tweeted about 6.9 times more than all other oral or poster presentations combined. Over half the presenters believed the tweets about their talks were effective. Ineffective tweets were perceived as vague or missing the presenters' main message. We recommend that presenters who want their science to be communicated accurately and broadly through Twitter should provide Twitter-friendly summaries that incorporate relevant hashtags and usernames. Our results suggest that Twitter can be used to effectively communicate speakers' findings to diverse audiences beyond conference walls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P Bombaci
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Cooper M Farr
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - H Travis Gallo
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Anna M Mangan
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Lani T Stinson
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | | | - Liba Pejchar
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
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Chapman J, Algera D, Dick M, Hawkins E, Lawrence M, Lennox R, Rous A, Souliere C, Stemberger H, Struthers D, Vu M, Ward T, Zolderdo A, Cooke S. Being relevant: Practical guidance for early career researchers interested in solving conservation problems. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Papworth SK, Nghiem TPL, Chimalakonda D, Posa MRC, Wijedasa LS, Bickford D, Carrasco LR. Quantifying the role of online news in linking conservation research to Facebook and Twitter. Conserv Biol 2015; 29:825-833. [PMID: 25626890 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Conservation science needs to engage the general public to ensure successful conservation interventions. Although online technologies such as Twitter and Facebook offer new opportunities to accelerate communication between conservation scientists and the online public, factors influencing the spread of conservation news in online media are not well understood. We explored transmission of conservation research through online news articles with generalized linear mixed-effects models and an information theoretic approach. In particular, we assessed differences in the frequency conservation research is featured on online news sites and the impact of online conservation news content and delivery on Facebook likes and shares and Twitter tweets. Five percent of articles in conservation journals are reported in online news, and the probability of reporting depended on the journal. There was weak evidence that articles on climate change and mammals were more likely to be featured. Online news articles about charismatic mammals with illustrations were more likely to be shared or liked on Facebook and Twitter, but the effect of news sites was much larger. These results suggest journals have the greatest impact on which conservation research is featured and that news site has the greatest impact on how popular an online article will be on Facebook and Twitter.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Papworth
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore.
| | - T P L Nghiem
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - D Chimalakonda
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - M R C Posa
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - L S Wijedasa
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1, Cluny Road, Singapore, 259569, Singapore
| | - D Bickford
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - L R Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore
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