Rhetoric of Science

9 units · Undergraduate

Fall: 9 units This course explores questions about scientific argument and communication that are of interest to students in the sciences, rhetoric, and professional/technical writing. These include questions like: How are scientific arguments structured? How is scientific information and argument transformed when it moves from research papers for specialist audiences to publications for non-specialists? How does the social, historical, and cultural context of science shape the way it is communicated and/or argued? What contributions do visuals make to scientific argument and communication? To investigate these questions, we will be examining a wide variety of real-world communications in and about science as well as texts in rhetoric, history, and philosophy of science. Prerequisites: 76-101 or 76-102 or ( 76-106 and 76-107 ) or ( 76-106 and 76-108 ) or ( 76-108 and 76-107 )