Do science blogs promote reader engagement? An experimental comparison between a blog post and traditional expository text

Science blogging is a common practice for communication with broad audiences; however, the effectiveness of blogs for promoting public engagement with scientific material has not been fully assessed. This study investigated reader engagement after reading either a scientific blog post or a related expository-style article by comparing whether participants volunteered for further email communications at the end of the study. We found that the blog group showed significantly greater engagement than the expository reading group. Results provide evidence for the effectiveness of blogging as a science outreach tool, and suggest potential future research topics related to age, gender, and geography.