These articles are published by scientists (or teams of scientists) in scientific journals, publications that are written for experts in a specific scientific field. They are peer reviewed by other scientists and include detailed descriptions of the research methods used and the conclusions drawn by the scientist or team.

Like research study reports, scientific journal articles are also usually peer reviewed scientific journals. They may describe original research or a discovery made by the author, or they may instead provide a review of research that’s already been published.

As you probably guessed, this type of article offers the author’s opinion. A respected scientist may make a case for viewing research a certain way or raise issues that the author believes should receive more attention or funding. Opinion-based articles can be found in peer reviewed journals, trade publications that are specific to one profession, and popular magazines, such as Nature or National Geographic.

The kinds of magazines that you might see in a public waiting room can include articles on scientific topics, but written for the general public rather than for trained scientists. Television shows, such as those found on the Discovery Channel, also belong in this category, along with and online videos created for a broad audience.

News organizations of various kinds also highlight important new discoveries in science. Generally, these do not delve very deeply into the science of the topic, but they play an important role in notifying the public about what is happening in the science community. Scientific organizations and businesses often use press releases to notify news organizations about important science news that they want broadcast. A press release tells the media exactly what the organization or business wants to communicate about the topic.

Blogging is a relatively new form of publishing that many scientists have begun to embrace. Since most blogs allow comments, blogging can serve as an efficient means of getting feedback on experiments. It also allows scientists to interact more immediately with other scientists and with the public. Because anyone can post a blog, it represents a faster way to release information and is therefore used by government agencies like NASA.

Federal and state agencies, as well as private organizations, often conduct their own experiments and publish their findings as reports and fact sheets. However, these types of documents are usually not peer reviewed. Technical reports can be found in scholarly databases or as part of an agency or company’s website, and they are usually geared toward experts in a particular field.

When a government organization wants to communicate basic information about a scientific topic that many citizens will find interesting, they may create a fact sheet, a brief (1 – 2 page) article that is narrowly focused on facts related to the topic. For instance, a wildlife management agency might publish a fact sheet on bears, and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) might issue a fact sheet on tick-borne infections.

A “PSA” is usually distributed by a government agency or non-profit group to inform the public of health and safety concerns—or other sorts of issues affecting large numbers of the population. PSAs take several different forms, including infographics, public broadcasts, podcasts, and brochures. One place where you might see a science-based public service announcement is at a doctor’s office. For example, you might see a diagram or brochure showing how sound travels through the ear canal, along with explanations for the causes of hearing loss and how to prevent it.