The role of new information and communication technologies in information and communication in science
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This document summarizes Christina Pikas' dissertation defense on her study of how new information and communication technologies, such as blogs and Twitter, support scientific communication. Her conceptual framework examines communication in science across four elements: communication partners, purposes, message content, and communication channel. Her empirical study analyzed geoscience researchers' blog posts and tweets to understand how the technologies support functions like dissemination, discourse, and learning. She found blogs facilitate in-depth writing while Twitter enables faster interactions. The framework and study contribute to understanding how new technologies fit within scientific work and communication.
The role of new information and communication technologies in information and communication in science
- 1. The role of new Information and Communication Technologies in information and communication in science A conceptual framework and empirical study Dissertation Defense Christina K. Pikas January 19, 2016
- 2. Agenda • Review of the Study • Research Questions • Revised Framework • Methods • Summary of Data • How do SCTs support communication in science? • How do participants make meaning of them? • New ICTs and information seeking and use • Contributions • What Next? 2
- 3. Given • “Communication is the essence of science” (Garvey, 1979) • 20 – 25% of scientists use blogs and/or Twitter Year Media Sample Result Reference 2008 Blogs Authors, editors, reviewers of scholarly journals 3% have a blog 13% read blogs regularly (Mark Ware Consulting, 2008) 2010 Blogs British researchers 16% blog occasionally or frequently 23% comment on blogs occasionally or frequently (Proctor et al., 2010) 2011 Twitter American and British researchers listed on departmental pages 2.5% are active on Twitter (Priem et al., 2011) 2014 Blogs Twitter Nature, Palgrave McMillan authors, list from Web of Science 13% STEM researchers visit Twitter regularly 17% Earth and Environmental Science Researchers visit Twitter regularly (Van Noorden, 2014) 2015 Blogs American scientists 24% have blogged about science 19% follow blogs (Pew Research Center, 2015) 3
- 4. What Roles do the New ICTs Play? RQ 1. How do SCTs, blogging and microblogging, support communication in science? 1a. What functions do they serve? 1b. How do they fit into the context of scientific work? 1c. What benefits do participants report receiving as a result of using these new ICTs? RQ 2. How do the participants in blogging and microblogging make meaning of the interactions supported by these SCTs? 2a. What value do these ICTs hold for their participants? 2b. How do participants and non-participants view these ICTs? RQ 3. How do these ICTs support data, information, and knowledge creation, seeking, and use in science? 4
- 5. Problem 1: Separate Literatures • Separate large bodies of literature studying communication in science • Communication, Journalism, Linguistics, and Rhetoric • Information Science • Science and Technology Studies, Social Studies of Science • These bodies are independent (rarely citing each other) • New studies of SCTs cite little of this literature 5
- 6. Problem 2: SCTs Evolve Quickly • New studies often focus on a single technology • Users adapt technologies as they adopt them • The uses and features of SCTs can evolve quickly as they are adopted • Studies of SCTs can get dated quickly 6
- 7. Needed: A Framework for Understanding New ICTs • No overall view of how these SCTs fit into what we already know about how scientists communicate • No grounded approach to understanding any new SCT that comes along 7
- 8. Approach Develop a comprehensive framework to describe communication in science that draws upon the relevant literatures Use the framework in a study of two widely used SCTs by scientists in one discipline to evaluate and improve the framework and answer the research questions. 8
- 9. How might this be used? • Organizations • Support decisions to implement (or not) • Better engage with scientists (staff and others) • Scientists • Tool selection and development • Request employer support • Communication researchers – framework to base new work • Tool designers – identify gaps and suggest additions • Librarians – useful for teaching and understanding communication tools used by scientists 9
- 10. Framework 10
- 11. Elements of the Framework • Features of the Communication Partners Number Individual features Match/relationship • Purposes of the Communication Activity • Features of the Message Topic Type Register Language Review/Quality control Type: Data, Methods, Analysis, Results Theoretical, Opinion/Eval. • Features of the Channel 11
- 12. Purposes • Dissemination • Discourse or contributing to the conversation • Societal benefit or application • Identity • Rewards • Preservation • Certification • Learning, teaching, or providing instruction • Persuasion (grant applications, journal articles) • Evaluation or opinion (peer review, grant review) • Coordination • Social (group membership, identity) • Entertainment 12
- 13. Elements of the Framework • Partners • Purposes • Content • Channel 13
- 14. Channel Elsewhere channel can mean source or format but here used for medium between communication partners Three layers: • Physical layer and basic transmission protocols • Means of expression and advanced functions of software • Conventions and etiquette 14
- 15. Channel: Physical Layer Three categories • Face-to-face • Print • Technologically mediated Each with some of these features • Copresence • Visibility • Audibility • Cotemporality • Simultaneity • Sequentiality • Reviewability • Revisability • Coherence • Hyperlinking 15
- 16. Channel: Means of Expression Non-Linguistic Linguistic Auditory Sounds Instrumental music Spoken word Visual Images/pictures Models Text Tactile Models Braille Other Senses (smell, taste, proprioception) Typically only applicable in (virtual) reality settings. Audiovisual, Multimedia, Hypermedia Combining multiple means of expression. 16
- 17. Channel: Conventions • Conventions and etiquette Examples: Twitter’s @user, RT, and #hashtags were developed by users before they were programmed into the interface 17
- 19. Journal Articles 1 Partners Number: Many Match: Same Education/Sophistication: Same; General Science 2 Purpose Dissemination (All); Certification; Preservation; Discourse; Identity; Rewards; Learning/Teaching; Persuasion 3 Message Topic: Science content; Research Methods; Pedagogy Type: Data; Methods; Analysis; Results; Theoretical /philosophical Register: Formal Structure: Stable established internal structure Persistence: Archival Review or Quality Control: Yes – rigor varies 4 Channel Physical: Print or Mediated Sequentiality; Reviewability; Coherence; Hyperlinking Expression: linguistic and non-linguistic; visual; Conventions: Attribution/citation; Omission of false starts and missteps; Passive voice… 19
- 20. Blogs 1 Partners Number: Many Education/Sophistication: Same; General Science; Interested Public Match: Either/Any 2 Purpose Dissemination: Discourse; Societal benefit or application; Identity; Amplification; Learning/Teaching; Persuasion; Evaluation/Opinion; Social (All); Entertainment 3 Message Topic: Science content; Science Education; Science Communication; Funding; Life in Science; Job Searching; News, Commentary, etc. Type: Methods; Analysis; Results; Memoir/Confessional/Biographical; Theoretical/Philosophical Register: Any Structure: HTML/CSS tags but no internal document structure Persistence: Typically persistent Review or Quality Control: Rarely for personal blogs 4 Channel Physical: Mediated; Sequentiality; Reviewability; Revisability; Coherence; Hyperlinking Expression: Multimedia Convention: Linking to attribute sources 20
- 21. Microblogs 1 Partners Number: Many Education/Sophistication: Same; General Science; Interested Public; General Public Match: Either (in Education/Sophistication or Ideologically) 2 Purpose Dissemination (Discourse; Societal benefit/Application; Identity); Learning/Teaching; Persuasion; Evaluation/Opinion; Coordination; Social (All); Entertainment 3 Message Topic: Science content; Science Education; Science Communication; Life in Science; Job Hunting, News, etc. Type: Methods; Analysis; Results; Memoir/Confessional/Biographical; Theoretical/Philosophical; Questions and Answers Register: Typically informal, but not always Structure: Fields but no internal structure Persistence: Not guaranteed unless captured and saved elsewhere Review or Quality Control: No 4 Channel Physical: Mediated; Cotemporality; Simultaneity; Sequentiality; Reviewability; Hyperlinking Expression: Multimedia Conventions: MT; RT; @; subtweet; .@; via or h/t 21
- 22. Methods 22
- 23. Approach • Pragmatic approach • Multiple embedded case studies 23
- 24. Methods • Participants: Geoscientists who attend American Geophysical Union conferences • SCTs: Blogs, Twitter, Twitter at Conferences 24
- 25. Why Geosciences • Active Twitter and blog communities • Professional society support for social media • Funder support for social media 25
- 26. Methods • Directed qualitative content analysis of a sample tweets and blog content • Semi-structured interviews with participants • Participant observation 26
- 27. Sample Selection and Content Retrieval • Retrieved tweets using a variety of methods • Random sample of 50 tweets from each meeting plus additional to capture conversations • Interview participants selected from meeting tweeters and participant suggestions • Seeking variation in demographics and research areas • Seeking participants who also blog 27
- 28. Data Summary • Tweets • Retrieved 12,920 • Coded 1038 • Blog posts • Retrieved 3,009 • Coded 426 • Interviews (8) • Fully transcribed • 291 minutes 28
- 29. Analysis • Prepared memos with initial thoughts and connections after each interview and as necessary throughout analysis process • Transcribed interview recordings with occasional bracketed notes • Loaded blog posts, tweets, and transcripts into MaxQDA for management 29
- 30. Coding • Coded once through using the framework, freely adding new codes, annotating non-obvious new codes and tricky applications of existing framework elements • Doubled back to check application of framework or to recode using newly emergent codes • Retrieved coded sections and analyzed to determine if all examples of the same phenomenon (axial coding) 30
- 31. Case Studies • Prepared case studies for 7 individual scientists • Initially in a narrative format • Re-organized once categories became evident across multiple studies • Re-re-organized into tables once categories were stable • Prepared cross-case analysis • Addressed research questions 31
- 32. Validity • Prolonged engagement • Triangulation • Memoing and questioning to mitigate personal biases 32
- 33. Agenda • Review of the Study • Research Questions • Revised Framework • Methods • Summary of Data • How do SCTs support communication in science? • How do participants make meaning of them? • New ICTs and information seeking and use • Contributions • What Next? 33
- 34. How the new SCTs support communication in science 34
- 35. What functions do they serve? Communication purposes Blogs More often used for: • Persuasion Twitter More often used for: • Amplification • Humor 35 Twitter at Conferences More often used for: • Social identity
- 36. What functions do they serve? Categories of content Blogs More often used for: • Tutorials for peers • Basic science concepts • Book reviews Twitter More often used for: • Pointing to readings • Requesting assistance • Announcing new papers • Politics/religion 36 Twitter at Conferences More often used for: • Live coverage of sessions (live blogging is not done)
- 37. What functions do they serve? General Blogs • In depth, well-prepared essays • Provide context • Preserve content • Under the blogger’s control Twitter • Faster interaction • Broader interaction • Non-scientists • Scientists who use similar tools in another field • Open and viewable 37
- 38. How do blogs and Twitter fit into the context of scientific work? Blogs • Help guide exploration process • Assistance understanding concept • Amplification for publications • Advice and mentoring Twitter • Resource copies of articles • Filter for awareness of new articles • Maintaining ties • Coordinate meetings • Help with analysis, software, other questions 38
- 39. How do the participants make meaning of the interactions? 39
- 40. Value to scientists Blogs • Practice writing with feedback • Social and professional support • Recognition and status • Personal knowledge management Twitter • Demonstrate public communication skills • Awareness of new literature • Quick feedback and questions answered 40
- 41. View of SCTs: Participants Blogs • Routine, but often a burden • Familiar community with regular commenters • A responsibility Twitter • Strong link to friends available for a quick comment or chat • Source of fast breaking news and updates 41
- 42. View of SCTs: Peripheral Participants Blogs • See detailed posts as great explanations of the science and insight into life as a scientist Twitter • A way to keep up without excessive e- mails or RSS • A way to follow conferences 42
- 43. View of SCTs: Non-participants Blogs • Most organizations are indifferent, as long as boundaries are maintained Twitter • May think the entire practice is odd! 43
- 44. New ICTs and information seeking and use 44
- 45. Information seeking and use: Blogs • Writing to explore, understand, and remember new topics has been well-studied. Doing this in a public forum adds beneficial community effects • Keeping a blog helps the author retrieve the information later for themselves or to refer others • Informal communication of field site or lab information may help other scientists fill in from incomplete published reports 45
- 46. Information seeking and use: Twitter • Alerting and filtering system for new literature • Seeking on Twitter has been unreliable at best • Collecting and curating tweets in Storify or on a blog is a work around 46
- 47. Limitations • Geoscientists • Only Twitter and Blogs • Small number of scientists interviewed 47
- 48. Future Work • Extend to other disciplines • Extend to other SCTs • Longitudinal look at Twitter at conferences • Sense of community in blogs and Twitter • Integrating personal, team, and public communications 48
- 49. Conclusions 49
- 50. Blogs and Twitter Benefit Science • Community building and maintenance • Improved mentoring • Increased public engagement • Improved dissemination of traditional communications 50
- 51. The framework of communication in science • A massive undertaking • Future studies should examine and test small portions • Useful in placing and understanding the communication happening in these two SCTs 51
- 52. Contributions The framework will be useful for: • Situating new technologies • Research on uses of SCTs • Helping individuals and organizations understand SCTs, so that they may support their use • Helping to teach scientists how to communicate • Teaching science librarians how to retrieve scientific information 52
- 53. Implications for ICT Design and Use • Make blog posting quicker • Add function tags to blog posts – even better if there are some common tags • Conference organizers should provide better access to tweets • Tweet collection, retrieval, and curation should be improved • Librarians should use Twitter for improved access to conference content 53
- 54. Contributions • Increased appreciation of SCTs for informal scholarly communication in science instead of just for popular communication • Increased appreciation for the value of these tools for personal knowledge management. 54
- 55. Take Aways • Both SCTs have valuable for information and communication as well as for community building, mentoring, and in support of learning and teaching. • The framework provided a useful guide in organizing the research and studying the SCTs 55
- 56. Contact: Christina K. Pikas cpikas@gmail.com @cpikas Slides will be posted to SlideShare http://www.slideshare.net/cpikas 56
Editor's Notes
- #4: Chu & Guo (2006), Mark Ware Consulting (2008), Proctor, Williams, & Stewart, (2010) Changed to: 20 – 25% of scientists use blogs and/or Twitter
- #15: Jakobson (1960) states, “CONTACT, physical channel and psychological connection between the addresser and addressee” (p. 353).
- #18: Add example Twitter hash tags 2 -3 years after Twitter started Twitter @
- #21: Italics
- #22: italics
- #26: Deleted: Studies all aspects of earth and planetary science including, for example, geology, oceanography, and climatology
- #28: Talk to variety of methods
- #30: Deleted * One recording had some technical difficulties. Missing data were partially recovered from my handwritten notes.
- #35: Check and fix page numbers to large from here