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Science Reporting: Using Simple Language to Communicate Clearly

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In this discussion, we examine the issue of complex jargon in scientific research writing, its effects on the general audience and science journalism. This opens up considerations for how science reporting is received by the public when different outlets - due to a poor understanding of the complex content - end up reporting contradictory findings and thus, unintentionally reduce the readership's confidence in the reporting of such matters. This is where an argument can be made for simplifying the language as much as possible at its point of origin so as to avoid or minimise confusion when it is relayed to the general audience.

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Solution Summary

Scientific research papers are often loaded with jargon and a level of technical language that doesn't always translate clearly to the public. Here we discuss the merits of simplifying the language at the source as a means to avoid confusion when such content is read by the public or presented through the lens of journalism and science reporting.

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The benefits of keeping language as simple as possible with academic essays outweigh potential positives of retaining complex jargon, even though academic papers themselves will often be limited to an expert audience. This should be done more out of consideration for the general audience and media that might happen upon a paper's findings than the author's peers who might be specialised in understanding the jargon.

In recent years, perhaps even decades, the public has been exposed to a lot of information when it has come to scientific findings and research. This is, in part, due to the internet allowing for the dissemination of information. However, a bleaker side to this development has also emerged: considerable confusion over the findings that are relayed to readers, often following by plenty of disagreements amongst ...

Solution provided by:
Kade Storm, MA
Education
  • MA, London Metropolitian University
  • BSc, London Metropolitan University & University of Derby
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