It seems to me, that when scientists think about the intersection of science and media, they are (generally) thinking about publicity. Usually because of something new and exciting, but occasionally less so. Online journals and newspapers, blogs, and twitter have invaded our lives and in the process science writing has become so much more than press releases. (Yes, general science writing has always been around. But I would argue its accessibility and outreach is currently much, much larger) From career advice, to reporting, to the sharing of results, current and former researchers are readily sharing all their insights with each other.
I bring this up because my own RSS feed of blogs alerted me to a publication that asked how much and in what ways scientists are using social media.
Allgaier et al. “Journalism and Social Media as Means of Observing the Contexts of Science” Professional Biologist, 2013.
Scicurious, a writer who started blogging during grad school and now writes for Scientific American, dissects the paper and contrasts her experiences with the conclusions posed by Allgaier here. Personally, I think I have gained a lot from reading the blogs and tweets* of science writers**. Especially as I approach graduation, I think it has given me sense for what the world is like outside the safety of the graduate program.
*
Women, Scientists, and Having Your Princess Time Interrupted wp.me/p2M03H-4t
— Dr. Isis (@drisis) March 19, 2013
**This blog has a resources page with a list of professional (housed at major journals) and personal blogs that are worth checking out. If you have sources you think others would enjoy then please send them our way!
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