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Written Communication, Vol. 21, No. 1, 32-68 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0741088303261035
© 2004 SAGE Publications

Spreading Chaos

The Role of Popularizations in the Diffusion of Scientific Ideas

Danette Paul

Brigham Young University

Scientific popularizations are generally considered translations (often dubious ones) of scientific research for a lay audience. This study explores the role popularizations play within scientific discourse, specifically in the development of chaos theory. The methods included a review of the popular and the semipopular books on chaos theory from 1975 to 1995, interviews with key figures, and an analysis of the citations in scientific research journals to Gleick’s well-known popularization, Chaos: Making a New Science. The results indicate that popularizations take different forms as a scientific revolution develops into normal science. At various points, popularizations are used by scientists to find a broad, interdisciplinary, scientific audience, to show interest in the field, to disseminate lines of inquiry, and to help establish the author’s priority claim.

Key Words: rhetoric • popular science • scientific rhetoric • Gleick • citation • popularization


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