World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Science Communication
H-index 15

Science Communication

1075-5470

Published by: SAGE

https://journals.sagepub.com/home/scx

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 872 11 12 6

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 34
Documents by Best Scientists*: 33
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 1
SCIMAGO H-index: 80
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.35
Impact Factor: 4.1

Overview

Top Research Topics at Science Communication?

The journal mostly deals with topics like Public relations, Science communication, Social science, Social psychology and Knowledge management. The majority of Public relations studies presented zero in on Public engagement. The Science communication study featured in it draws connections with the study of Media studies.

The journal features Social science research that overlaps with concepts in Epistemology. It connects the study in Social psychology with the closely related area of Perception.

  • Public relations (25.32%)
  • Science communication (13.17%)
  • Social science (11.05%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Consensus Development Conference A Cross-Cultural Study (751 citations)
  • “Fear Won't Do It” Promoting Positive Engagement With Climate Change Through Visual and Iconic Representations (697 citations)
  • Knowledge Creep and Decision Accretion (500 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Science Communication:

The most cited articles are mainly concerned with subjects like Public relations, Social psychology, Knowledge management, Science communication and Social science. While Public relations is the key highlight in the most cited articles, thet also covered some subjects on Framing (social sciences) and Climate change and Newspaper. The works on Social psychology tackled in the most cited papers bring together disciplines like Cognition, Perception and Public engagement.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Social science

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Science communication, Social psychology, Climate change, 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are among the topics commonly tackled in the journal. Science communication research presented in it encompasses a variety of subjects, including Aesthetics, Training (civil), Medical education and Public engagement. The journal tackles studies in Normative and the interrelated subject of Context (language use) to gain insights into Public engagement.

In addition to Social psychology research, Science Communication aims to explore topics under Cognition and Perception. Science Communication facilitates discussions on Climate change that incorporate concepts from other fields like Concreteness, Environmental communication, Public relations, Abstraction and Environmental resource management. The studies on Public relations discussed can also contribute to research in the domains of Public awareness of science, Apprehension, Statement (logic), Climate science and Content (Freudian dream analysis).

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Reassessing the Variables Used to Measure Public Perceptions of Scientists (4 citations)
  • Social Media and Environmental Activism: Framing Climate Change on Facebook by Global NGOs: (3 citations)
  • An Empirical and Conceptual Note on Science Communication’s Role in Society: (3 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Science Communication (based on the number of publications) are:

  • JoAnn M. Valenti (18 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • John C. Besley (17 papers) published 4 papers at the last edition, 3 more than at the previous edition,
  • Susanna Hornig Priest (16 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • JoAnn Myer Valenti (16 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Sharon Dunwoody (14 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Science Communication (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (43 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of Texas at Austin (27 papers) published 4 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • Cornell University (25 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Michigan State University (25 papers) published 6 papers at the last edition, 5 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Michigan (20 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 2.70% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 27.78% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 2.78% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 16.67% of all publications and 52.78% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

How to Become a Contributor to the Journal

If you wish to become a contributor to this esteemed journal, it is vital you understand certain criteria. First, you need to have a firm foundation in social sciences, specifically in subjects like Public Relations, Science Communication, Social Psychology, and Knowledge Management. Your study or research work must be original and must provide new insights into the subjects for consideration. It is also recommended that potential contributors have some form of educational or professional background relevant to the discussion subject. For instance, if you're conducting research about family dynamics or relationships as part of social science, you might benefit from having experience or credentials in Marriage and Family Therapy. For better understanding, you can consider checking Marriage and family therapist education requirements in Utah as a reference. Moreover, the analysis or study you submit should not have been published anywhere else. It must abide by the ethical guidelines for research and must not breach any copyright laws. Your research method and analysis should be rigorous and must contribute meaningfully to the academic community.

Top Publications

  • Benefits and Pitfalls of Debunking Interventions to Counter mRNA Vaccination Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

    (2022)
    39 Citations
  • Online Climate Change Polarization : Interactional Framing Analysis of Climate Change Blog Comments

    Christel W. van Eck;Bob C. Mulder;Art Dewulf

    (2020)
    36 Citations
  • Reduced Risk Information Seeking Model (RISK): A Meta-Analysis

    (2022)
    29 Citations
  • The Power of Being Transported: Efficacy Beliefs, Risk Perceptions, and Political Affiliation in the Context of Climate Change:

    Ashley Bieniek-Tobasco;Ashley Bieniek-Tobasco;Rajiv N. Rimal;Sabrina McCormick;Cherise B. Harrington

    (2020)
    21 Citations
  • Gene Drives in the U.K., U.S., and Australian Press (2015–2019): How a New Focus on Responsibility Is Shaping Science Communication

    (2022)
    15 Citations
  • Investigating the Potential of Inoculation Messages and Self-Affirmation in Reducing the Effects of Health Misinformation:

    Irina A. Iles;Arielle S. Gillman;Heather N. Platter;Rebecca A. Ferrer

    (2021)
    13 Citations
  • Exploring COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation Exposure, Beliefs, Fear, and Information Avoidance via the Stimulus–Organism–Response Framework

    (2023)
    6 Citations
  • Do Conservation Films Generate Support for Conservation? A Case Study Using Transportation Theory and Hidden Rivers

    (2022)
    3 Citations
  • The Public Trust in Science Scale: A Multilevel and Multidimensional Approach

    (2024)
    2 Citations
  • Exploring the Potential of Comics for Science Communication: A Study on Conveying COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Information to Black Americans

    (2023)
    2 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Pursuing a degree in Social Sciences and Humanities opens doors to diverse career paths, many of which can now be accessed through flexible online programs. For those interested in advanced social work, exploring fully funded dsw programs online can ease financial barriers while providing essential clinical and leadership skills.

Speech-language pathology is another growing field, with numerous graduate programs available nationwide. To find the best fit, candidates should consider options from a comprehensive list of speech-language pathology graduate programs by state, helping them navigate admissions and licensing requirements effectively.

Legal support roles also complement social science studies. Aspiring paralegals can benefit from aba-approved paralegal programs that ensure compliance with industry standards and boost employability, all offered with online convenience and affordability.

For those focused on behavior analysis, online bcba masters programs provide critical expertise needed to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, enabling careers in education, health care, and social services.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal