Science Communications Survey
This study is intended to explore elements of the science communications interests of researchers, students, and other professionals who study wild animals. Data from the responses will be used to develop resources to help researchers better communicate their work.
Description of the study
When you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a survey about your professional background, use of social media, interest in science communications training, and perceptions of certain research topics. This survey is expected to take around 10-15 minutes, depending on the length of your responses to the open questions.
Confidentiality
Your responses are anonymous, and you are not required to submit and contact information. The data collected from the study will remain internal to the organization running the study; it will not be published.
Voluntary participation
Your decision to participate in this study is completely voluntary. If you decide not to participate, it will not affect any relationship colleagues or the organization running the study. Once you begin the survey, you may withdraw from your participation at any time without penalty.
Cost and compensation
There is no cost to participate in the study, nor is any compensation provided to you.
Agreement
By agreeing to participate you authorize the use of any observations and findings arising during the course of this study for the purposes of science marketing and the creation of professional development resources. If you have any questions about this survey please reach out to Andrew Wright, PhD, with Vocal Earth, at marinebrit@gmail.com..
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Part 1 of 4: Professional background
Which of the following best describes your current or most recent professional role?
Academic researcher or professor
Postdoctoral researcher
Graduate student
Conservation practitioner or manager
NGO, non-profit, or charity staff
Policy or government (at any level, or in any form) advisor
Independent consultant
Private sector (e.g., environmental services, consulting, industry)
Other
What is your highest completed level of education?
High school / secondary education or equivalent
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
PhD
DVM
Other
What field(s) do you currently work in?
Animal behavior
Conservation biology
Ecology
Landscape ecology
Genetics and the "omics"
Habitat management/restoration
Wildlife management
Integrative biology
Physiology
Population dynamics
Veterinary science and pathology
Other
Within that field, which taxa or research topics do you specialize in?
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Part 2 of 4: Social media
Do you use social media for either personal or professional purposes?
Yes
No
On which social media channel are you *most likely* to encounter content related to your work?
Bluesky
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Mastodon
Reddit
Threads
TikTok
X (formerly Twitter)
Discord
I use social media, but I do not encounter work-related content.
Other
On average, how much time do you spend on the social media channel you mentioned in your response to the previous question? (Consider all the time you spend on this channel; not only the time you use it for work purposes.)
Less than 30 minutes per day
30 minutes to 1 hour per day
1-3 hours per day
More than 3 hours per day
Which other social media channel is the *second-most likely* for you to encounter content related to your work?
Bluesky
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Mastodon
Reddit
Threads
TikTok
X
Discord
I do not encounter work-related content on a second channel.
I use social media, but I do not encounter work-related content.
Other
On average, how much time do you spend on the social media channel you mentioned in your response to the previous question? (Consider all the time you spend on this channel; not only the time you use it for work purposes.)
Less than 30 minutes per day
30 minutes to 1 hour per day
1-3 hours per day
More than 3 hours per day
What are the top 1 or 2 reasons that social media is professionally valuable for you?
Besides social media, where else online are you most likely to encounter news in your field and/or professional opportunities?
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Part 3 of 4: Science communication challenges
Who are the core audiences that should know about your research findings?
Regulators & managers
Politicians
The general public
School children
Industry representatives
Journalists
Other scientists in your field
Other scientists in other fields
University and other students
Other
How difficult has it been for you to make sure your research findings reach those audiences?
Very difficult
Somewhat difficult
Neither easy nor difficult
Somewhat easy
Very easy
Why did you select that response?
How confident are you in your science communication skills?
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Neither confident nor insecure
Somewhat insecure
Very insecure
Why did you select that response?
Consider peers in your field with a similar level of experience to yours. How confident *do you think* most of them are in their science communication skills?
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Neither confident nor insecure
Somewhat insecure
Very insecure
Assuming the format and schedule fit your needs, what is the likelihood that you would sign up for free science communication training designed for researchers in your specific field?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Neutral
Somewhat unlikely
Very unlikely
Below are several format options for a science communications training. The longer the training, the more information could be covered, and the more time could be allowed for interactive portions with other participants. Drag and drop the format options to rank them from 1 to 6, with #1 being your top choice and #6 being your last choice.
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Part 4 of 4: Perceptions of research topics
Part of the difficulty of communicating science is that there are often many ways to describe a given area of study, depending on who is presenting the information and in what context. This can lead to different interpretations and create confusion.
The following is a number of research topic descriptions that could be applied to wild animal studies. Drag and drop these topics to rank them from 1 to 8, with #1 being the one that sounds to you like the most scientifically rigorous, and #8 being the one that sounds to you like the least scientifically rigorous.
What are 1 or 2 examples of specific research questions you would expect to be relevant to the topic description that you ranked as #1 in the previous question?
Would you consider any of your own research work to fall into the topic areas as described below? Select all that apply.
Research that helps wild animals
Research about the subjective experiences of wild animals
Research about what life is like in the wild
Research about human/wildlife conflicts
Research about wild animal welfare
Research about wild animals' wellbeing as individuals
Research about animal psychology
Research about how to improve the lives of wild animals
None of these topics are related to my research area.
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Final thoughts
How important do you think it is for scientists to have science communication skills?
Very important
Somewhat important
Neither important nor unimportant
Somewhat unimportant
Not at all important
Do you have any other comments to share?
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