A Presentation by Chelsea Lowe

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)

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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…

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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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FINAL WORDS