Wordle for Science

Engaging the public with science blogging? Tweet

According to Inna Kouper (2010), a blog is a “frequently updated webpage that facilitates informal communication between the author of the blog and its audience” with science blogs serving as a relatively new form of media and powerful tool for disseminating scientific information and facilitating conversations about science (p. 2; Batts, Anthis, and Smith, 2008). I hope that From The Lab Bench can achieve a degree of public engagement of non-scientists in science. According to Kouper (2010), science bloggers seeking to facilitate public involvement in science should “inform their readers about scientific news … explain complicated matters in a manner understandable by a lay person … evaluate research findings and claims made by others … [and] articulate their position toward controversial issues” (p. 2).

Do I achieve public involvement with From The Lab Bench? Can science blogs even truly achieve this goal? What do you think? Tweet @FromTheLabBench with hashtag #ScienceCares.

And for a bit of visual pleasure… From The Lab Bench’s ‘Wordle’ for this month!