Portraying real science in science communication

In both formal and informal settings, not only science but also views on the nature of science are communicated. Although there probably is no singular nature shared by all fields of science, in the field of science education it is commonly assumed that on a certain level of generality there is a consensus on many features of science. In this paper, it will be argued that because of their focus on unifying items and their ignoring of the actual heterogeneity of science, it is questionable whether such consensus views can fruitfully contribute to the aim of science communication, i.e., to enhance the public's functional scientific literacy. The possibilities of an alternative approach to the portrayal of the sciences within science communication are explored. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 95:1086–1100, 2011