Scientific Storytelling: Visualizing for Public Audiences

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2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This chapter investigates ways to develop and display storytelling visualizations of science aimed at broad (non-specialist) audiences in settings ranging from science festivals and museums to print and digital media. Pacing is particularly important when it comes to scientific storytelling. Any given pace may feel fast or slow depending on the audience's attention span and their familiarity with the subject matter and prior exposure to scientific data visualizations. The chapter explains how researchers transform the rapidly growing number of scientific visualizations into meaningful experiences for the public. It considers the use of scientific narrative, and looks briefly at the different types of data that researchers work with and how we may consciously, and indeed sometimes unconsciously, modify them. The described cases demonstrate the effectiveness of (scientific) narrative as glue and vessel to effectively engage audiences and convey complex scientific data. Futhermore, the chapter also considers the rise of citizen science: where visualization, research, outreach, and education meet.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Aesthetics of Scientific Data Representation
Subtitle of host publicationMore than Pretty Pictures
EditorsLotte Philipsen, Rikke Schmidt Kjærgaard
Place of PublicationNew York NY USA
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Chapter8
Pages79-92
Number of pages14
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)9781315563411
ISBN (Print)9781138679375
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes

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