Analysis on Science Museum Agenda Reflected in Media by Using Corpus

Abstract

This study attempted to analyze an agenda of science museums, which is produced by media, in order to find out science efforts to serve their roles and fulfill their responsibilities. To this end, it used the corpus regarding science museums, which have been provided by four major newspaper offices from 2000 to 2013, in Korea. The corpus was analyzed by using CAT-T21, a web-based corpus analysis tool, suggesting key co-occurrence words, annual changes in them and a network among them. Some conclusions derived from the analysis of findings are as follows: First, the main agenda from 2000 to 2013 appears to be Establishment of National Science Museum. Some related agendas include exhibits, experience activities and programs. Second, the common agenda of science museums includes experience, the ocean, museums, exhibitions, facilities and children, which properly reflect characteristics of education+museum. Third, the agenda inspired from science museums reflects locality: various local science museums other than the National Science Museum reflect cultural characteristics at each location. Fourth, spectators of science museums have been limited to children and adolescents, indicating that various programs for adults should be provided from now on, in science museums.