This volume investigates the empirical foundations and theoretical frameworks governing how scientific information is transmitted to and understood by the public. The editors, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Dan M. Kahan, and Dietram A. Scheufele, compile research from leading scholars to address the challenges of communicating complex scientific data in an era of misinformation and political polarization. The text provides a systematic analysis of the cognitive, social, and institutional factors that influence public perception of scientific consensus.

Experts identify this work as a foundational reference for researchers and practitioners in the field of science communication. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for scholars and policy analysts rather than a general audience.