Category Archives: complex news
The Way News Text is Combined With Links Can Enhance Reader Interest and Understanding
Links appear on every web page. Our study, published in Science Communication, shows that non-expert audiences engage with and understand complex news when explanatory text and links that further explain that text (not just links to other websites).
Analyses of CNN and Washington Post Graphics About A Crisis Found Some Explanations Better Than Others
Initial reports downplayed the threat of radiation from a damaged nuclear power plant in Japan. An increasingly dangerous nuclear crisis produced explanations of the risks. How were info graphics used online to explain the complexity? We reviewed infographics used on Washington … Continue reading
Local Broadcasters Have Opportunities To Explain The Complexities Of Climate Change
During a climate change panel at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), I underscored the opportunities for trusted local broadcasters to exploit the interactivity of the web and mobile devices to engage audiences with personalized and explanatory messages. … Continue reading
Different Power Companies Communicate Outages In Different Ways
Beginning January 27, 2011, a major winter storm dumped snow and ice over Virginia, Maryland and the Washington D.C. metro area. Gusty winds and downed trees left thousands of homes without power, some for several days. WE REVIEWED GRAPHICS, CHARTS … Continue reading