Communicating Science

Revised: March 2009

"If you don't toot your own horn, who'll do it for you?"

In its founding statutes, NASA is expected to tell the public about its inventions and discoveries. Although daring exploits, strange sights, and exotic places have an attraction that predates NASA by thousands of years, the wonders that NASA can tell are often hard to understand. This bibliography is designed to help people who normally talk about what they do only with other specialists to spread the word to members of the general public. The NASA HQ library also has resources on methods of teaching science and on scientific literacy, the general public's level of familiarity with scientific concepts.

All items are available at the Headquarters Library, except as noted. NASA Headquarters employees and contractors: call (358-0172) or email Library@hq.nasa.gov for information on borrowing or in-library use of any of these items. Members of the public, contact your Local Library for the availibilty of these items. NASA Headquarters employees can request additional materials or research on this topic. The Library welcomes your comments or suggestions about this webpage.


Contents: Books Articles and Reports Internet Resources

Books

Adamy, David. Preparing and Delivering Effective Technical Presentations. Boston, MA: Artech House, 2000.
T10.5 .A33 2000 BOOKSTACKS
 
Anholt, Robert Rene Henri. Dazzle 'em with Style: The Art of Oral Scientific Presentation. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Co., 1994.
Q223 .A63 1994 BOOKSTACKS
 
Blum, Deborah, Mary Knudsen, and Robin Marantz Henig. A Field Guide for Science Writers. Oxford, UK; New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006.
T11 .F54 2006 BOOKSTACKS
 
Christensen, Lars Lindberg. The Hands-on Guide for Science Communicators: A Step-by-step Approach to Public Outreach. New York, NY; London, UK: Springer, 2007.
Q223 .C47 2007 BOOKSTACKS
 
D'Arcy, Jan. Technically Speaking: A Guide for Communicating Complex Information. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press, 1998.
T10.5 .D37 1998 PPM-STACKS
 
Hartz, Jim. Worlds Apart: How the Distance Between Science and Journalism Threatens America's Future. Nashville, TN: First Amendment Center, 1997.
Q225.2 .U6 H37 1997 BOOKSTACKS
 
Hayes, Richard. A Scientist's Guide to Talking with the Media: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerned Scientists. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006.
Q225 .H39 2006 BOOKSTACKS
 
Heck, André (ed.). Information Handling in Astronomy. Dordrecht; Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000.
QB14.2 .I55 2000 BOOKSTACKS
 
Heck, André, and Claus Madsen. Astronomy Communication. Dordrecht; Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003.
QB14.2 .A88 2003 BOOKSTACKS
 
NASA Office of Space Science Conference on Education and Public Outreach. NASA Office of Space Science Conference on Education and Public Outreach. San Francisco, CA: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2004.
QB61 .N32 2002 BOOKSTACKS
 
National Science Board (U.S.). Committee on Communication and Outreach. Communicating Science and Technology in the Public Interest. Washington, DC: The Board, 2000.
Q225 .N38 2000 BOOKSTACKS
 
Nelkin, Dorothy. Selling Science: How the Press Covers Science and Technology. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman, 1995.
Q225 .N35 1995 BOOKSTACKS
 
Robson, Ian, and Lars Lindberg Christensen. Communicating Astronomy with the Public: 2005. Garching bei Muenchen, Germany: Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre, 2005.
QB61 .C65 2005 BOOKSTACKS
 
Sides, Charles H. How to Write and Present Technical Information. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1999.
T11 .S528 1999 BOOKSTACKS
 
Stelzner, Michael A. Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged. Poway, CA: WhitePaperSource Pub., 2007.
T11 .S74 2007 BOOKSTACKS
 
Strunk, William, and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1972.
PE1408 .S772 1972 BOOKSTACKS
 
United States. Government Printing Office. Style Manual. Washington, DC: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 2000.
Z253 .U58 2000 READY-REF
Note: This is also available online at the GPO's website.
 
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Requirements for Communicating NASA's Knowledge from Program and Projects. Washington, DC: The Office, 1998.
TL521.312 .C68 1998 BOOKSTACKS

Articles and Reports

Davies, Sarah R. "Constructing Communication: Talking to Scientists About Talking to the Public", Science Communication, vol. XXIX, no. 4 (June 2008), p. 413-434.
 
Horack, John M., and Rick E. Borchelt. Science Communications: Providing a Return on Investment to the Taxpayer. Huntsville, AL: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, 1999
(20000021308: (1999) NTRS)
 
Hwang, Yoori, and Brian G. Southwell. "Can a Personality Trait Predict Talk About Science? Sensation Seeking as a Science Communication Targeting Variable", Science Communication, vol. XXIX, no. 2 (Dec. 2007), p. 198-216.
 
Leahy, Bart D., Loretta Hidalgo, and Cassie Kloberdanz. "Unleashing Gen Y: Marketing Mars to Millenials", in: Mars Society Convention, Los Angeles, CA, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2007.
(20070036719: (Dec. 2007) NASA ASD)
Note: This item can be ordered by interested members of the public through the Center for Aerospace Information.
 
Lowes, Leslie, Marilyn Lindstrom, et al. "Reuniting the Solar System: Integrated Education and Public Outreach Projects for Solar System Exploration Missions and Programs", in: The Thirty-fourth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, March 17-21, 2003.
(20030111407: (2003) NTRS)
 
Poliakoff, Ellen, and Thomas L. Webb. "What Factors Predict Scientists' Intentions to Participate in Public Engagement of Science Activities?", Science Communication, vol. XXIX, no. 2 (Dec. 2007), p. 242-263.
 

Internet Resources

DC Science Writers Association. Jan. 27, 2009 [Feb. 5, 2009]
http://www.dcswa.org/
 
Holm, Jeanne. NASA Office of Communications Planning. Jan. 23, 2009 [Feb. 6, 2009]
http://communications.nasa.gov/OCP
 
International Astronomical Union. Communicating Astronomy with the Public. June 2009 [June 25, 2009]
http://www.capjournal.org/
 
The National Association of Science Writers, Inc.. Jan. 28, 2009 [Feb. 5, 2009]
http://www.nasw.org/
 
Science and Development Network. Science Communication. 2009 [Feb. 5, 2009]
http://www.scidev.net/en/science-communication/
 
World Federation of Science Journalists. Feb. 2, 2009 [Feb. 5, 2009]
http://www.wfsj.org/
  March 2009