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What is the context of this research?

The role of science blogging and science bloggers is expanding and diversifying today. More Americans get their science news online than ever, and much of that is now coming from science blogs. And yet, relatively little research has targeted the practices, routines and values of science bloggers. Traditionally, science bloggers have been the champions of fighting bad science on the internet.



But today, they are so much more. Who are science bloggers? What do they do? How do they decide what to blog about? I'm conducting a large-scale online survey to find out!

What is the significance of this project?

If we don't understand how and why science bloggers do what they do, we will never be able to fully assess the impact of science blogs - and what they COULD be for us in the future.



"the two things that get me really interested are, if it's science that I find really interesting, or, if it's something that's really, really wrong." - Science Blogger, #MySciBlog



"I think that... your gender definitely has a factor in terms of what you choose to write about." - Science Blogger, #MySciBlog



The issue of open access: "I'm thinking more and more [...] as to whether to only write about open access articles." - Science Blogger, #MySciBlog



"There's no, 'how to blog' guidebook...you have to just watch...what are the people...considered to be the best at this doing?" - Science Blogger, #MySciBlog



What are the goals of the project?

My goal is to conduct a large-scale online survey of science bloggers. I have already interviewed more than 50 science bloggers world-wide, so now it's time for a more number-crunching survey. But to collect this survey data, I need funds to offer science bloggers an incentive to take and complete my online survey. A goal of $1,000 for this project would allow me to give a $5 incentive to at least 200 bloggers.



If you are a science blogger wanting to get involved in my research, you can sign up for my survey and to receive further notifications here: https://t.co/dt6EoMyIAh

