Plain Language: Improving Communications from the Federal Government to the Public


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Using Plain Language > in Sciences

Plain Language in the Sciences

A recent National Science Foundation study shows that:

  • Fewer than 50% of adults understand that the Earth orbits the sun yearly.
  • Only 21% of adults can define DNA.
  • Only 9% of adults know what a molecule is.
  • One in 7 adults—25 million people—cannot locate the US on an unlabeled map.
  • A third of Americans believe in astrology—and do not understand that astrology is not scientific.

External links are shown with a "external link icon".

Articles

Scientists Need Plain Language, by Lily Whiteman.

Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology to the Public, a conference held March 6-8, 2002 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. Conference presentations are posted on the site.

Worlds Apart: How the Distance Between Science and Journalism Threatens America's Future external link icon.

Organizations

The International Network on Public Communication of Science external link icon.

NASA's bibliography of books, articles, and websites on the public understanding of science, communicating science, and science education.

The Merck Manual external link icon, an excellent example of effective science communication.

 
Other Pages:
Using Plain Language in . . .

Federal Government

Legal Profession

Business

Sciences

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Related Topics

Health Literacy

Before-and-After Examples
show the power of plain language.

Arguments in Favor of using plain language.

 
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