inertia is a property of matter
TRANSCRIPT
SCIENCEY SCIENCE
• Why would I choose to talk about science journalism?
• Popular Science (Magazines and the such)
• Concepts accessible to the general public
• America ams real good at being smart
• Half of the US considered scientifically illiterate?
• 10% of people can define a molecule. 20% of people can
understand DNA (1998)
ZE AUDIENCE AND ZE CLAIM
• Audience: Science Journalists
• Stasis: Proposal
• Claim: Science writers must explain contexts more effectively
• Better relationships with scientists
• Addressing their audience and their academic levels
*Basically it’s the media’s obligation to inform and
educate people about science happenings in the
world*
EVIDENCE
• Fluoridation in the 50s
• 42 RANDOM Science Publications
• 52 Factual Errors, 127 Misuse of Tech Terms, 29
Misspellings, 7 Misquotations.
• “No other protein sources are used by T. hypogea and pollen
transporting structures have been lost, making this species an
obligate necrophage” (Fahnestock 280).
Becomes…
“Though other bees have teeth, this is the only species that
cannot carry pollen” (Fahnestock 280).
COUNTERARGUMENTS AND
REBUTTALS
• Counterargument: It’s NOT the job of the media to educate
Americans, it’s the job of schools.
• Voting age, new topics, out of school
• Counterargument: Time and Length Crunch, Editor Demands
• Building reputation, single source stories do NOT give good
information
• Explanation Strategies
• Oversimplification is a problem…
LOGOS, PATHOS, ETHOS
• LOGOS: Basis of my argument.
• PATHOS: Moral Responsibility
• …and that underlying tone of
Ethos.
RESEARCH AND MY POSITION
• Original Position: Just get science specialists.
• Changed – Would not serve as watchdog, not trained as
writers.
• Most helpful: Anthology of Journals
• Not much research is published
on the topic.
TROUBLESHOOTING
• ISSUES
• Finding research from the US. It’s sparse.
• Stasis.
• SOLUTIONS
• Books. Using sources from sources.
Finding experts.
• Balancing.
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SUCCESS!• Differences in goals between media and viewers
• Media – Production
• Audience – Quality
• Journalists must strive to educate and communicate scientific
uncertainty.
• Most Interesting?
• Project OPERA – Neutrinos
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