Opportunities for the use of short videos in science communication: the case of social sciences

Abstract

As an increasing number of scientists utilize alternative communication platforms such as TikTok to disseminate scientific information, there is a pressing need to investigate their potential for scientific communication, particularly with younger audiences. A content analysis of 163 posts under four hashtags (#researchpaper, #scientificarticle, #socialscience, and #pewresearch) revealed that TikTok is indeed being employed as a medium for sharing scientific content, including research results. It is notable that some publications make direct references to scientific articles and monographs, indicating the potential of the platform to bridge the gap between the academic community and a wider audience. However, short videos on TikTok generate more engagement when authors share experiences and tips rather than research results. While TikTok is becoming an important channel for scientific communication, it is mainly used as an additional means and not a replacement for traditional media such as academic journals or new resources like preprint servers. Additionally, no formats or examples of content were identified that could be considered a replacement for traditional methods of communicating scientific information. Further research is necessary to investigate the impact of TikTok on science communication across different disciplines and age groups.

Keywords

• scientific communication
• tiktok
• short videos
• social media