New format of scientific articles with multi-Layered contents

- dealing with accuracy-readability trade-offS by using multi-level writing criteria

Introduction

How can we deal with dilemma between accuracy and readability of scientific information in the area of education, PR, and other communication?

If we try to communicate scientific information as understandable, we often lose accuracy. On the contrary, if we try to communicate scientific information as accurate, we often lose readability instead.

Dilemma forever? How in the world could we solve the problem? How could we achieve a good balance between accuracy and readability? Which should we prioritize? Accurate description, readable one or intermediate one?


Thus, we decided to deliver "all of them simultaneously". we provided readers with 5 different articles with multi-level writing criteria, where you can find different accuracy-readability trade-offs. The trade-off is named "AR(Accuracy-Readability) Index", which is the extent to put priority on readability rather than accuracy (from 5 to 1). The index enables us to deliver contents with multiple trade-offs simultaneously as a package to readers for a single scientific topic.

AR Index has the following advantages.

  1. You can find which layer(=AR Index) of the content you are reading. AR Index works as a meta information or "tag".
  2. You can find other layers with different AR Indexes.
  3. You can move to other layers through links if the current layer doesn’t match your needs and conditions.

Purpose

The purpose of the project is to provide five articles or so on the same research topic at different levels that vary in difficulty, from easy to understand and enjoyable but not necessarily precise in detail, to very in-depth and technical in terms of the science but perhaps rather difficult to understand for general readership.

Readers on the website can alternate among the different levels to correspond to their level of knowledge, interest and purpose for reading. They could, for example, begin to read the easiest level, then proceed to check more precise levels to deepen their understanding. Or they might see the mid-level “press release” type article and choose the level that is appropriate for their needs.

Criteria for Multiple Levels (Accuracy-Readability(AR) Indexes)

Levels 5-4 (AR Index 5-4):

The target readership is readers who may be interested in science, or may simply have a vague interest in the current topic. They could also be schoolchildren interested in Earth science. They may not have the wish or need to work too hard to understand the text, but may respond to a strong metaphor or narrative. Our text, we hope, will spark interest in such readers.

- We can use more descriptive language, and phrases that help to anchor the reader in the real world, e.g. "the earth rumbling beneath your feet ... " etc. This relaxes the reader and draws them into the story. We can also use metaphors, descriptions of the labs, stories about the researchers’ lives and that sort of thing.

- We should not assume too much knowledge on the part of these readers.

Level 3 (AR Index 3):

- Target is press releases for use in newspapers and magazines for a general readership.

- We want to make things easier for a reporter to write a story appropriate for his or her readership.

- We try to find a "hook," to spark interest in a general reader, such as an immediate application toward solving a real-world problem, a reference to a scientific controversy or to science fiction, and the like. Depending on the subject, we may want to include more background information to place the story in scientific and societal context.

- A newspaper would want a punchy news-style lead paragraph, while a magazine article would ease into the story a bit more – we could provide both. We might include personal background of the researchers, their motivation, etc., if it is pertinent.

Level 2 (AR Index 2):

Target is an educated popular-science reader who is interested in the current topic. We can use more numbers (which might scare off lower level readers), as well as scientific concepts, references to previous work and more difficult and higher level vocabulary. We can include more discussion about methodology.

Level 1 (AR Index 1):

Target is people with a technical background, such as researchers in other fields, people with engineering background and the like. We can include equations, citations, footnotes, discussion of methodology, etc.


Prototype

You can see the prototype of the format and 5 articles written in reference to it here.

Direction: Gensei Ishimura (PR Chief / Specially Appointed Associate Professor of ELSI)

Writing: Robert Cameron (Science Writer)

Supervision: Kei Hirose (Professor of Tokyo Tech / Director of ELSI)