Framing and Re-Framing in Environmental Science: Explaining Climate Change to the Public

Justin King Rademaekers Purdue University West Lafayette ; Richard Johnson-Sheehan Purdue University West Lafayette

Abstract

Environmental scientists and science communicators working to educate the public on the science of global climate change often work to present information through an environmentalist perspective. This article uses theories of metaphoric framing to present six guidelines that climate change communicators can use to reframe climate change science in public communication. In particular, the authors argue for environmental scientists to adopt frames that the broader public will find familiar and persuasive. This reframing of environmental science is necessary to counter the framing of skepticism that special interest groups have used to dominate attempts to communicate climate change science to the public.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2014-01-01
DOI
10.2190/tw.44.1.b
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Cited by in this index (4)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly

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