1.23. Communication in Science http://www.ck12.org
1.23 Communication in Science
- Explain why communication is important in science.
- Identify ways that scientists can communicate about their research.
Did you ever participate in a science fair? If you did, then you probably made a poster outlining what you did for
your project and how your project turned out. Scientists often share their research in the same way. The picture
above shows a poster session at a scientific conference. Posters are a quick and graphic way to communicate about
research.
Importance of Communication in Science
The last step of most scientific investigations is reporting the results. When scientists communicate their findings,
they add to the body of scientific knowledge, and that’s how science advances. Science generally builds on previous
knowledge, sometimes advancing in giant steps but more often in baby steps. The brick building analogy in the
Figure1.25 may help you better understand why communication is important in science.
When scientists communicate about their research, they may also get useful feedback from other scientists. For
example, comments from other scientists might help them improve their research design or interpret their findings
in a different way. Other scientists can also repeat the research to see if they get the same results.
Q:Why might it be important for other scientists to repeat an investigation?
A:If an investigation is repeated and different results are obtained, then it throws doubt on the original research. On
the other hand, if the same results are obtained, scientists can place more confidence in them.