Principles of Science Communications

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Communicating about science has always been a necessity in public discourse, but communicating complex or ongoing science, health, and technology issues can be a challenge. This one-semester core Writing Intensive course, taught in Spring and Fall semesters, immerses students in the art of communicating about science in many forms, from writing for magazines and newspapers, to institutional writing for universities or medical centers, to giving speeches to lay audiences and creating descriptive museum displays. The areas of focus will be on writing concisely without jargon, workshopping/re-writing/editing, communicating and writing with accuracy, and developing empathy for both the scientist and the science communicator. Each week will include short reading assignments, as reading about science is critical to writing about science. Communicating about science has always been a necessity in public discourse, but communicating complex or ongoing science, health, and technology issues can be a challenge. This one-semester core Writing Intensive course, taught in Spring and Fall semesters, immerses students in the art of communicating about science in many forms, from writing for magazines and newspapers, to institutional writing for universities or medical centers, to giving speeches to lay audiences and creating descriptive museum displays. The areas of focus will be on writing concisely without jargon, workshopping/re-writing/editing, communicating and writing with accuracy, and developing empathy for both the scientist and the science communicator. Each week will include short reading assignments, as reading about science is critical to writing about science.