Scientific Evidence and Science Journalism: Analyzing the Representation of (Un)certainty in German Print and Online Media

• In Event: Reporting in a Postfactual Age: Epistemic Challenges in Journalism

Abstract

Science journalism in print and online media is an important source of information for laypersons. While science journalists established their own professional routines and standards, different actors (and scientists in particular) often criticize science journalism for not being transparent and accurate enough. One critical point raised concerns journalists’ representation of scientific evidence. Against this background, the present study investigated which kind of information about scientific evidence is represented in science articles in German print and online media. The results of a quantitative content analysis (n = 128), in which variables were coded for the represented scientific results (n = 225), showed that scientific evidence is rarely part of science articles and scientific findings are predominantly depicted as scientifically certain. However, information about uncertainty is more common within explicit science sections of the media, as well as when the article is of natural scientific or medical scientific content. In addition, the scientific results that are presented first in an article contain most information about scientific evidence.

Authors

• Lars Guenther, Institute of Communication Research / Friedrich Schiller U Jena

• Jenny Bischoff, Friedrich-Schiller-U Jena

• Anna Löwe, Friedrich-Schiller-U Jena

• Hanna Marzinkowski, Friedrich Schiller U Jena

• Marcus Voigt, Friedrich-Schiller-U Jena