Science Reporting

Dr Rosslyn Reed, of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney, is part of a team carrying forward a research project on the 'competing' cultures of journalism and science. Here is a brief report on their progress.

Frustration, tension and even conflict surround the reporting of science in the media and characterise the relations between scientists and journalists.

There are some differences, with science writers sharing a more similar ethos and world view with scientists than other journalists. New journalists, broadly defined, generally resort to sensationalism - encapsulated in the phrase "the cure for cancer" - and "gee whiz" when confronted with developments in science and technology.

Scientists expect journalists to share their concern with scientific norms relating to the provisional nature of scientific knowledge and recognition of the collegial nature of scientific endeavour. When this doesn't occur, they are disappointed and sometimes angry. While some seek redress through the publication of retractions, others believe they have to live with misrepresentation. Caution in approaching the media or in responding to media requests for information breeds increased apprehension and leads to mutual distrust.

UTS research

Since late 1997 two researchers in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney, have been carrying out research on the competing cultures of journalism and science. They are Dr Rosslyn Reed, who is a sociologist, and Gael Walker from public communication. For a short period, Associate Professor Tony Baker of the Science Faculty joined them. The research has been funded by a UTS Industry/Links Internal Research Grant. Louise McMahon, Public Affairs Manager of DuPont Australia is the industry partner. The goals of the research are to move beyond current recommendations for improved science communication and inter-cultural communication training for scientists to a better understanding of the constraints and possibilities inherent in the different social locations of journalists and scientists.

To date the project has carried out focus group and in-depth interview research to probe the understandings and meanings held by the different groups. It has resulted in an annotated bibliography listing publications addressing journalism as an occupation as well as studies in the sociology of knowledge/science. As expected there are a large number of entries on science in the media and some examples of controversial reporting. The researchers have also provided a preliminary report to our industry partner.

Further funding

Continuing the research project now depends on our efforts in attracting further research funding. There are a number of possibilities to pursue but the research team is interested in hearing about any other suggestions for research funds in this time of intense competition for government and foundation grants.

If successful in obtaining further funding, the researchers expect to be able to test some of the emerging conclusions about the need for different types of contact between journalists and scientists by sending a questionnaire to a larger sample of journalists and scientists. We would be seeking to test the emerging findings from the qualitative data that there is potential to change the world views of scientists and journalists.

The results of the completed research will, in the best traditions of scientific endeavour, be published in refereed journals and also disseminated more widely - hopefully through publications such as this. They are likely also to be useful in the development of under-graduate, post-graduate and continuing professional education.

ROSSLYN REED

Dr Reed is contactable at the Faculty of Humanties and Social Sciences, UTS, PO Box 123, Broadway 2007.

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