Methods of defining genetic-related terms as the main elements of the popular science media discourse

This article deals with the methods for explaining special genetic-related terms used in the media as the main concept elements of popular science discourse. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the need to study the understanding degree of such methods by a non-specialized audience, as well as to estimate the correctness of scientific data transmission. The study sources included popular scientific texts about genetics published in the following media during 2017–2023: “Meditsina obo mne”, “RBK Trendy”, “Teorii i praktiki”, the heading “Nauka” of the TASS news agency, “Biomolekula” and “Nauchnaia Rossiia”. The first stage included the identification and classification of defining methods for the following terms: “genetics”, DNA, RNA, “gene”, “allele”, “genetic polymorphism”, “epigenome”, “epigenetics”, “mutation” and “phenotype”. At the second stage the questionnaire was engaged. It was aimed at assessing the recipients’ understanding of identified defining methods for explaining the genetic-related terms. The results obtained included: 1) eight methods for defining genetic-related terms (the definition itself, the inversive definition, the orientating definition, the analogy, the metaphor, the commentary, the etymologization and the illustration); 2) identification and description of their main features (including factors influencing the correct scientific data transmission); 3) recognition of the methods which ensure the best understanding of definitions by the audience (based on the results of the survey: the definition itself, the orienting definition and the metaphor). The authors conclude that the distribution of reliable scientific information via mass media can be achieved by maintaining a balance between two tendencies: to bring the definition closer to the scientific one and to oversimplify it. The latter only leads to a partial loss of the original meaning.