Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023
Chemistry has found broad appeal on the freely available global video-sharing platform YouTube, with some YouTube videos even being cited in the peer-reviewed chemistry literature. By applying both manual and semi-automated search methods, we identified, categorized and analysed publicly available d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241599 |
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| author | Scott Gardner Gabriela Bezati Tristen Godfrey Katie Baird Usamah Bilal Emma Loudon Rhona Young Lewis E. MacKenzie |
| author_facet | Scott Gardner Gabriela Bezati Tristen Godfrey Katie Baird Usamah Bilal Emma Loudon Rhona Young Lewis E. MacKenzie |
| author_sort | Scott Gardner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chemistry has found broad appeal on the freely available global video-sharing platform YouTube, with some YouTube videos even being cited in the peer-reviewed chemistry literature. By applying both manual and semi-automated search methods, we identified, categorized and analysed publicly available data for 1619 chemistry YouTube channels that were available in 2023. Forty-nine per cent of channels were active in 12 months prior to sampling. The majority of channels were produced by independent content creators with no clear affiliation or background and 71% of channels were for the purposes of learning or exam revision. YouTube video production spiked in 2020, coincident with the COVID-19 global pandemic. We also examined the number of videos produced, channel lifespans, the use of features such as playlists and short-form videos, apparent revenue streams (outside of default advertising), the use of other social media and whether or not channels were exclusively producing chemistry content. This study and the associated dataset provide the first large-scale ‘census’ of how YouTube is being used for chemistry communication and education worldwide. We expect our findings to be of interest and use to policy makers, funding agencies, educators, content creators and the public. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2cded6dab18a426c9136ec781b5c8526 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-2cded6dab18a426c9136ec781b5c85262025-01-29T00:06:34ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-01-0112110.1098/rsos.241599Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023Scott Gardner0Gabriela Bezati1Tristen Godfrey2Katie Baird3Usamah Bilal4Emma Loudon5Rhona Young6Lewis E. MacKenzie7Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKDepartment of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland G1 1RD, UKChemistry has found broad appeal on the freely available global video-sharing platform YouTube, with some YouTube videos even being cited in the peer-reviewed chemistry literature. By applying both manual and semi-automated search methods, we identified, categorized and analysed publicly available data for 1619 chemistry YouTube channels that were available in 2023. Forty-nine per cent of channels were active in 12 months prior to sampling. The majority of channels were produced by independent content creators with no clear affiliation or background and 71% of channels were for the purposes of learning or exam revision. YouTube video production spiked in 2020, coincident with the COVID-19 global pandemic. We also examined the number of videos produced, channel lifespans, the use of features such as playlists and short-form videos, apparent revenue streams (outside of default advertising), the use of other social media and whether or not channels were exclusively producing chemistry content. This study and the associated dataset provide the first large-scale ‘census’ of how YouTube is being used for chemistry communication and education worldwide. We expect our findings to be of interest and use to policy makers, funding agencies, educators, content creators and the public.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241599science communicationyoutubechemistrynew mediaquantitative analysisemerging media |
| spellingShingle | Scott Gardner Gabriela Bezati Tristen Godfrey Katie Baird Usamah Bilal Emma Loudon Rhona Young Lewis E. MacKenzie Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 Royal Society Open Science science communication youtube chemistry new media quantitative analysis emerging media |
| title | Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| title_full | Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| title_short | Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| title_sort | analysis of over 1600 chemistry youtube channels from 2005 to 2023 |
| topic | science communication youtube chemistry new media quantitative analysis emerging media |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241599 |
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