Publications [#285214] of Julie Reynolds

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Papers Published

  1. Reynolds, J, When communicating with diverse audiences, use VELCRO to make science stick, Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, vol. 90 no. 3 (2009), pp. 297-304 [297] .
    (last updated on 2024/03/18)

    Abstract:
    Communicating science to the public is a difficult but essential task, especially given the large number of urgent environmental issues we are currently facing. Although many scientists are willing to engage the public in conversations about topics such as global climate change and the rapid loss of biodiversity, there is little evidence that their messages are getting through. Here, I offer suggestions for how scientists can more effectively engage general audiences and improve information retention rates. First, I build upon the Velcro theory of learning, which states that new knowledge needs some prior knowledge or experience to “hook” onto in order to stick in our brains. Then, I use the acronym VELCRO to introduce six strategies that scientists can use to put this theory into practice.