|
Science Communication for Scientists BIOL / ENVI 6503 |
||
|
Fall 2007 Dr. Aldemaro Romero Dr. Amy R. Pearce Prof. Jack Zibluk Arkansas State University |
||
|
1. Course objectives 1.1. Introduction: One of the reasons why scientific research does not receive more financial support may be because the public at large has a very poor understanding of science. That is particularly true in the case of the United States where the understanding of science is one of the lowest among industrialized nations.
Communicating science to the public has been a problem right from the beginning of modern science. To make things worse, scientists and journalists not always understand each other. A certain tension exists between the art, or act, of doing science and the act, or art, of reporting on it. The scientist wants to get at the facts; the journalist, at the most basic level, wants to tell a story. Making stories interesting and entertaining without sacrificing accuracy can be a challenge, to put it mildly. Serving as go-between to practicing scientists, who have been known to complain that reporters too often get science wrong or sensationalize it, and a public that gripes that it can’t make heads or tails out of what scientists are up to, science journalists have to find a way to please both constituencies. This course is aimed at graduate students interested in learning techniques to communicate scientific information to both the general public and learned audiences. 1.2. Methodology: This course will be mostly a hands-on experience. Besides a few introductory lectures, you will spend most of the time writing articles for the popular press, preparing radio and TV scripts and giving public presentations. 1.3. Expected outcome: By the end of the semester, you should be able to better communicate your ideas to the public and learned audiences in both writing and orally and how to deal with the media. 1.4. Prerequisites: Permission of the instructors. |
||
|
2. Instructors Dr. Aldemaro Romero, Chair and Professor of Biology at Arkansas State University. He has written more than 500 articles and books to both learned and popular audiences. The full list of his publications can be found at: http://www.clt.astate.edu/aromero/aldemaro_romero.htm. He has also written, produced, and directed more that 1500 radio shows and 50 television shows in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. He was awarded the Feijoo Prize for science journalism by the Spanish Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Amy Pearce, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology at ASU. While earning her PhD in neuroscience from the Australian National University, she earned a certificate in Science Communication through the ANU Centre for the Public Awareness of Science. She has written for scientific journals, newspapers and television and was a producer, writer and announcer for ‘Fuzzy Logic’ a long-running science education radio show. She has communicated science at national and international forums to audiences comprised of youths and adults through science fairs and workshops. John B. (Jack) Zibluk, Ph.D., is associate professor or journalism and coordinator of the photojournalism sequence at Arkansas State University. He also teachers news writing, desktop publishing, and news design. He designed and taught a science communications course for the Honors College in 2005. He is vice president of the National Press Photographers Association. He won the NPPA's Robin R. Garland educator of the year Award, in 2005. He is an ethics writer and columnist for News Photographer magazine. He was National Geographic magazine's faculty fellow in 2002. He has been an editor and photographer for the Memphis Commercial Appeal, as well as for several newspapers in his native Connecticut. |
||
|
3. Textbook and supplies 3.1. Textbook Although this is a hands-on course we strongly recommend that you buy the book A Scientist's Guide to Talking with the Media. Tips and tools scientists can use to communicate complex research to a media audience. By Richard Hayes and Daniel Grossman. Rutgers University Press, 2006. 200 pp. 3.2. Additional reading Throughout the course we will be providing you additional readings via email or by posting those readings on the web. 3.3. Other supplies You must acquire an Mini-DV video cassette in order to record your presentations for further analysis. The tape is for you to keep. |
||
|
4. Other resources All officially enrolled students have access to the ASU E‑mail system. You can send us email to ask us questions or to engage in discussions with your colleagues. Please avail yourself of this opportunity. |
||
|
5. Academic approach We give the best of ourselves in each one of my classes in order to offer you the opportunity to maximize your chances of learning lasting lessons. We consider ourselves motivational, challenging, and enthusiastic. We encourage questions at any time. We greatly appreciate students who come to us for further discussion and inquiring. Please do not hesitate to see us during our office hours or by appointment to discuss the subject as well any problem that may arise. We expect the finest from you. We will do our best to ensure that you learn the maximum and that your effort is rewarded with good grades. Note that this is a 3-credit course. Your total effort per week should average 9 hours. This will include approximately 3 hours of class attendance and at least 6 hours of outside work. |
||
|
6. Office hours Dr. Romero: W 9:00-12:00, 1:00-3:00 and by appointment. Room Number: LSE 202 Phone Number: (870) 972-3082 Email address: aromero@astate.edu Dr. Pearce: T: 9:00-11:00 & 1:00-2:00 and Th 3:15-4:15 and by appointment Room Number: COE 316 Phone Number: (870) 972-3282 Email address: apearce@astate.edu
Dr. Zibluk:
MWF 8-11 am Room Number: Communications Building 352 Phone Number: (870) 972-3075 Email address: mailto: jzibluk@astate.edu |
||
|
7. Evaluation criteria Since this is a hand-on course, the evaluation will be based on your performance in class. You are expected to fulfill all the assignments and attend all classes. |
||
|
8. Academic honesty To ensure the highest standards of academic honesty and ethical behavior, the Honor Code will be strictly enforced. In other words, do not even think about any behavior that may be construed as academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation, or cheating. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following: A. Cheating on an assignment. B. Receiving help from others in work to be submitted, if contrary to the stated rules of the course. C. Plagiarizing, that is, taking and passing off as one's own the ideas, writings or work of another, without citing the source. This is true whether the material used is only a brief excerpt or an entire paper or article and whether the original source is the work of another student or some publication. D. Submitting work from another course. E. Stealing course material. F. Falsifying data and/or records. G. Assisting anyone to do any of the above. The honor code protects the honest student, the reputation of Arkansas State University, and the value of degrees earned here. We should all support it both by personal honesty in all things and by refusing to tolerate dishonesty in others. Any graded work must be performed completely unaided. Students must report to us any suspected cheating. If you have any questions about your assignment, plagiarism, or the Honor Code, please contact us. |
||
|
9. Withdrawals You are the sole responsible for fulfilling all necessary steps to formally withdraw from this course. |
||
|
10. Students with Special Instructional Needs If you have any special needs related to learning or testing in this course, please let me know as soon as possible so I can address those needs. |
||
|
COURSE OUTLINE Week 1: Introduction to the course. The fear of public speaking/ Selection of science topics for course Week 2: Key tools in public communication. The KISS method. Week 3: Tools in writing for newspaper (I) Reading 1 (Out-of-body experience) Week 4: Tools in writing for newspapers (II) Week 5: Tools in writing for magazines Week 6: Writing and producing radio shows (I) Week 7: Writing and producing radio shows (II) Week 8: Writing and producing TV shows (I) Week 9: Writing and producing TV shows (II) Week 9: Writing and producing documentaries Week 10: Public speaking. Key techniques (I) Week 11: Public speaking. Key techniques (II) Week 12: Public debates Week 13: Answering media requests. Interviews. Week 14: Conclusion: “the medium is the message” |
||
|
Disclaimer: The information contained in this syllabus is as accurate as possible, but may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice. The schedule and content of lectures and assignments may be changed at the discretion of the instructor upon oral notification in class. Changes may involve additions, deletions, substitutions, or changes in sequence or due date. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SYLLABUS COULD CAUSE YOU TO GET A POOR GRADE IN COMMUNICATING SCIENCE FOR SCIENTISTS The cover: Prof. Stephen Hawkins, despite of developing some of the most complex modern ideas on the origin of the universe and being handicapped, is one of the better known science popularizers. |
