Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs
Online content is changing the way the public accesses and understands science. The staggering number of often conflicting online sources about science makes it difficult for the lay public to know where to turn in search of accurate scientific information. This project will examine how the nature o...
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ftryersonuniv:oai:digital.library.ryerson.ca:RULA_7922 2023-05-15T15:12:39+02:00 Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs Kirby, Lauren (Author) Ryerson University (Degree granting institution) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA%3A7922 eng eng Communication in science Communication of technical information Science in mass media Online social networks Genetically modified foods Crops -- Genetic engineering Science -- Social aspects Science news thesis Text ftryersonuniv 2020-07-17T13:02:35Z Online content is changing the way the public accesses and understands science. The staggering number of often conflicting online sources about science makes it difficult for the lay public to know where to turn in search of accurate scientific information. This project will examine how the nature of online content might be affecting how the public learns about science. Through textual content analyses, it will examine the chain of communication (scientists→online media→public) and document how scientific information evolves. Okanagan Specialty Fruits’ Arctic apple, a genetically modified organism (GMO) that has had the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene silenced, will be used as a case study. Three primary themes guide my research: the public understanding of science (PUS), the communication of risk and uncertainty, and social epistemology. The primacy of the PUS movement in public venues for science makes it an important theory for my project, while theories of risk/uncertainty and social epistemology will inform my analysis. My results suggest that: 1) stories about science often include over and understatements of uncertainties and risks; 2) online media stories apply rhetorical frames when reporting scientific information, but the way in which framing is used appears to be reflective of whether the author wishes to persuade their audience; and 3) the rhetorical frames used by online stories about science are not typically integrated into the public’s commentary in a meaningful way, supporting the notion that audiences are active rather than passive and that the public seeks out content that complements their pre-existing beliefs. Thesis Arctic Ryerson University: RULA Digital Repository Arctic |
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Ryerson University: RULA Digital Repository |
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English |
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Communication in science Communication of technical information Science in mass media Online social networks Genetically modified foods Crops -- Genetic engineering Science -- Social aspects Science news |
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Communication in science Communication of technical information Science in mass media Online social networks Genetically modified foods Crops -- Genetic engineering Science -- Social aspects Science news Kirby, Lauren (Author) Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
topic_facet |
Communication in science Communication of technical information Science in mass media Online social networks Genetically modified foods Crops -- Genetic engineering Science -- Social aspects Science news |
description |
Online content is changing the way the public accesses and understands science. The staggering number of often conflicting online sources about science makes it difficult for the lay public to know where to turn in search of accurate scientific information. This project will examine how the nature of online content might be affecting how the public learns about science. Through textual content analyses, it will examine the chain of communication (scientists→online media→public) and document how scientific information evolves. Okanagan Specialty Fruits’ Arctic apple, a genetically modified organism (GMO) that has had the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene silenced, will be used as a case study. Three primary themes guide my research: the public understanding of science (PUS), the communication of risk and uncertainty, and social epistemology. The primacy of the PUS movement in public venues for science makes it an important theory for my project, while theories of risk/uncertainty and social epistemology will inform my analysis. My results suggest that: 1) stories about science often include over and understatements of uncertainties and risks; 2) online media stories apply rhetorical frames when reporting scientific information, but the way in which framing is used appears to be reflective of whether the author wishes to persuade their audience; and 3) the rhetorical frames used by online stories about science are not typically integrated into the public’s commentary in a meaningful way, supporting the notion that audiences are active rather than passive and that the public seeks out content that complements their pre-existing beliefs. |
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Ryerson University (Degree granting institution) |
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Thesis |
author |
Kirby, Lauren (Author) |
author_facet |
Kirby, Lauren (Author) |
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Kirby, Lauren (Author) |
title |
Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
title_short |
Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
title_full |
Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
title_fullStr |
Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
title_full_unstemmed |
Does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about GMOs |
title_sort |
does the apple fall far from the tree?: reviewing the communication of scientific information about gmos |
url |
https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA%3A7922 |
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Arctic |
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Arctic |
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Arctic |
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Arctic |
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