Abstract
The chapter in question addresses the importance of social networks on the internet for science, as well as the evolution of these networks and their role in scientific research. It defines the concept of social networks on the internet and explores their specific relevance in the context of scientific research. In addition, it discusses how social networks can be used as tools for conducting scientific research and how to promote scientific dissemination and communication. It also explores active and passive approaches in the dissemination of research, highlighting academic social networks and other traditional tools that can be used for scientific outreach. The concept of the citation funnel is introduced, and guidance is provided on how to cite content taken from social networks. Finally, the challenges faced in communicating science to a lay audience are presented.
TopEvolution Of Social Networks On The Internet And Science
Technology has played a key role in the evolution of society and the way we relate to scientific information. Since the beginning of the popularization of the internet in 1995, many tools have been created (Borup et al., 2006; Cash et al., 2003; Pinch & Bijker, 1984; Szymkowiak et al., 2021) with the aim of facilitating the sharing and access to technological, scientific and innovation information (Barashkova et al., 2019; Castaneda & Cuellar, 2020; Oddone & Meirelles, 2006; Szymkowiak et al., 2021).
In 2003, the social networking platform LinkedIn was launched, allowing professionals to connect and share their experiences and knowledge. Then, in 2004, Facebook and Google Scholar emerged, allowing you to connect with friends and researchers, respectively.
In 2005, YouTube was launched, revolutionizing the way we share and access videos online. Twitter emerged in 2006, becoming a microblogging platform of importance for sharing news and information in real time and useful for doing research (Denia, 2021).
In 2008, Academia.edu and ResearchGate were launched, allowing researchers to share and access scientific articles more easily and quickly (Ribeiro et al., 2017).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Social Media Tool: Refers to social networks as powerful tools for communication, information sharing, and engagement.
Blog as a Complement to Scientific Journals: Using a blog to supplement a scientific journal by disseminating related content and generating discussion, while maintaining a distinction in terms of content quality and purpose.
Impact of Research: The measure of the influence, visibility, and significance of research in the scientific community and beyond, often indicated by citation counts and recognition by peers.
Citation Funnel: A concept that describes the process by which readers become aware of a topic, research reliable sources, assess their relevance, and eventually cite them in their own work.
Formats of Dissemination: Several types of media used for scientific communication, including texts, videos, images, gifs, emojis, etc.
Big Data: Refers to the massive amount of data generated and collected through various digital sources and platforms.
Social Networks: Platforms on the internet that facilitate professional interaction, scientific dissemination, and communication, enhancing the work of researchers, students, teachers, and scientists.
Disinformation: The deliberate spread of false or misleading information, often with the intent to deceive or manipulate.
Active approach: Taking proactive steps to highlight scientific content, such as promoting articles on social platforms, presenting research at conferences, seeking peer review, and collaborating with other researchers.
Palatability of Science: Making science more engaging, interesting, and attractive to the public.
Academic Networks: Online platforms or communities where researchers and academics connect, collaborate, and share their work, such as ORCID, Academia.edu, ResearchGate, and Mendeley.
Scientific Dissemination Marketplaces: Platforms or services that facilitate the commercialization of scientific communication products and services, enabling researchers to reach a wider audience and monetize their work.
Well-Informed Society: A society that has access to accurate scientific information and can make informed decisions based on scientific knowledge.
Proposal: The specific goals, objectives, and intentions researchers have for their scientific communication, including the desired impact on individuals and society.
Scientific Dissemination: The act of sharing and spreading information about scientific research to a wider audience, aiming to create interest and engage society.
Three Pillars of Scientific Communication: The categories of reliability and scientific rigor, presentation and style, and impact on society, which form the basis for evaluating and improving the effectiveness of scientific communication.
Science Journalism: The field of journalism that specializes in reporting on scientific research and advancements.
Scientific Accuracy: The adherence to scientific principles, methods, and evidence when communicating or disseminating scientific information to ensure its reliability and trustworthiness.
Social Networks: Online platforms where individuals interact and share content, including scientific research, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Mastodon, and Koo.
Laypeople: Refers to individuals who are not experts in a particular field or topic, often the target audience for scientific communication and dissemination efforts.
Fake news in scientific communication: The phenomenon of false or misleading information specifically impacting scientific communication and research, leading to potential challenges and issues.
Technological Tools: Tools and platforms created with the purpose of facilitating the sharing and access to technological, scientific, and innovation information.
Quality Indicators for Scientific Communication: Metrics or criteria used to assess the quality and effectiveness of scientific communication, particularly on social media platforms.
Audience: The target group or individual researchers aim to interact with and engage through their online communication efforts.
Visibility and Impact: The increased exposure and influence of research achieved through sharing and disseminating scientific work on social networks.
Passive Approach: A strategy of simply publishing research articles in indexed journals without taking further actions to promote or disseminate the content.
Science Outreach: The process of making science accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including explaining complex scientific concepts and communicating research results to laypeople.
Relevance: The degree of importance or significance attributed by users to the information and content they encounter in the digital space.
Science Education: The aspect of scientific communication that focuses on educating and informing people about scientific concepts and advancements.
Scientific Communication: The process of sharing and disseminating scientific information and research results clearly and accurately to various audiences, including the scientific community, industry, government, and the public.
Hashtags: The # symbol used on social media platforms to categorize and tag content, contributing to the visibility and recognition of scientific studies and their results.