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The popularization of science: Some basic measurements

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Abstract

Four pairs of articles provide a framework for the bibliometric analysis of presentations of scientific findings to non-specialist audiences. One member of each pair is a professional-level review article; the other is its counterpart as published inScientific American. Two of the pairs were published in the mid-1960's and two pairs were published in the mid-1980's. The pace and scope of popular reportage improved over the twenty-year span but the readability index for popular treatments suggests that there are stil serious barriers to mass audience consumption. Examination of the personal references in the popular presentations reveals linkage patterns that are analogous to those found by citation and co-citation analyses.

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Notes and references

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  1. College of Library and Information Services, University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, Maryland, (USA)

    J. S. Kidd

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Kidd, J.S. The popularization of science: Some basic measurements. Scientometrics 14, 127–142 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02020247

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