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Science
and Environmental Writing and Social Sciences Building |
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Instructor: Kim McDonald
Office Hours: Wed 9-10 and by Appointment
2105 Natural Sciences Building
858-534-7572
kmcdonald@ucsd.edu
Course Description: This course is designed to introduce upper-division students majoring in the sciences to the techniques used by professional science and environmental writers to communicate technical subjects to the lay public. Topics covered include news writing, news releases, TV and radio script writing, and communicating science to K-12 students. Students enrolled in the course will hone their science writing skills through weekly assignments. They will also gain exposure, through frequent guest speakers, to the varied careers that combine knowledge about science with an ability to communicate technical material to non-scientists. This course will also provide students with an understanding of how the news media cover science and how they, as future scientists, can improve the public’s understanding of science.
Reading: To learn the style of writing that will be expected in this course, you need to be a diligent reader of science news. Students will be required during the course to read each week, from Monday to Friday, the daily science, medical and environmental stories in The San Diego Union-Tribune as well as a weekly list of selected news stories from national publications provided in Science In the News Weekly. To sign up for this weekly e-mail list of stories, visit http://www.sigmaxi.org/enews/signup.htm Students are also encouraged to read, each Tuesday, the Science Times section of the New York Times. In addition, the instructor will bring into the classroom articles for class discussion. The required textbook for the course is “Field Guide for Science Writers,” Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2006. In addition to a good dictionary, a helpful desk reference for your news writing assignments is the Associated Press Stylebook, available in paperback from the UCSD bookstore.
Class Participation: An ability to clearly communicate your ideas verbally is an important part of a professional writer’s job. Students should be prepared to attend each class and to actively participate in class discussions. Classroom participation and your verbal presentation will account for 20 percent of your grade. Classroom participation will be based largely on your attendance and your ability to demonstrate that you have completed the assignments and thought carefully about the material. In order to pass the course, you may have no more than two unexcused absences.
Assignments: The remainder of your grade will be based on four assignments, the first and last of which will account for 10 percent of your grade; two quizzes, which will each account for 5 percent; and a final project, which will account for 20 percent. Assignment #3 and #4, the news release and news story, will each account for 15 percent of your grade. The five assignments will be preceded by two laboratory assignments and an in-class writing exercise, which will not be graded, but which will be discussed in class. The four assignments are, in order, an explanation of how something works, a news release, a news story and a radio broadcast script. The final project is a critique of three or more news articles about the same subject or a publication-quality newspaper or magazine article of your choice. The articles to be critiqued and the topics for your articles should be approved by me before you begin. This project will serve as your final exam. Written assignments must be turned in on the due date to receive full credit. Late assignments will receive a one point deduction on a 10 point scale for each class meeting they are late. All assignments must be typed, in double-space format and—in the case of news stories or news releases—must include a headline.
Exams: There are no midterm or in-class final examinations. The final project will serve as your final examination. Students should schedule an appointment by February 28 to meet with me to discuss their final projects.
Class Schedule: The following schedule is subject to change, based on the scheduling of guest speakers. Please check the online version of this syllabus frequently to obtain the current schedule.
January 10
Introduction to the course and to each other. What makes science newsworthy?
Why should scientists care about communicating to the public?
Reading Assignments: Weblines 4.1 Writing the Lead: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/weblines/411.html
Weblines 4.2 Backing up the Lead:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/weblines/421.html
January 12
Introduction to news writing: news stories and press releases; writing a
lead and organizing a story. Lab Assignment #1:
Write a lead
January 17
Discussion of assignments. Simplifying your writing; Passive versus Active voice. Introduction to the specialization of science journalism and to careers in science and environmental writing. Reading Assignments: Chapters 8, 11, 14, 37, 39, 40: A Field Guide for Science Writers.
January 19
Guest Speaker: Doug Ramsey, UCSD, Writing for Different Audiences
Lab Assignment #2: Write a lead
January 24
Discussion of lab assignments. How to explain complex subjects. Writing
Assignment #1, due Jan. 26: Write a simple 250-to-500 word explanation of how
something works. Examples include an explanation of the workings of a household
tool, a physiological process in the body or even how a football or golf ball
with dimples travels through the air. For examples, check out: http://www.howstuffworks.com/
Turn in hard copy Jan. 31, but send a word file of your assignment to me by
e-mail this week at kmcdonald@ucsd.edu
Write in the subject line of e-mail “Assignment #1.”
Reading Assignments: Chapters 19 and 20: A Field Guide for Science Writers.
Tips for Explaining Something Complex
January 26
Guest Speaker: Bruce Lieberman, Science Reporter, San Diego Union-Tribune
Reading Assignments: Reread Chapter 4, Writing Well About Science and Chapter
17, Deadline Writing; and read Chapter 16, Editing: A Field Guide for Science
Writers.
January 31
(Writing assignment #1 due) Discussion of writing assignment #1. Writing news releases. Writing Assignment #2 due Feb. 7: Write a 500-to-750 word news release based on a scientific article and quotes that will be provided in class (Double space your copy, please include a headline). Tips on writing news releases available here.
February 2
Interviewing techniques. Discussion/critique of writing assignment.
PDF of scientific article and news release for Feb. 7 news conference/interview
with scientist will be available here: PDF news release
February 7
(Writing Assignment #2 Due) News conference with UCSD biology professor Kaustuv
Roy. Writing Assignment #3 due Feb.14: Write a 750-1,000 word news story
on the in-class news conference/interview (Double space your copy, please
include a headline).
February 9
Guest Speaker: Jon Cohen, contributing correspondent for Science and book author, Shots in the Dark: The Wayward Search for the AIDS Vaccine.
February 14
(Writing assignment #3 due). Discussion of assignment. Writing a multiple sourced news/feature story. Research techniques, resources and sources for writers. Who’s a reliable source? Warning signs of bogus science. Discussion of your final project: Write a 750-1,000 word critique of at least three recent science news stories (one of which may be a news release) that describe the same discovery or finding. Reading assignment: To be passed out in class.
February 16
Guest Speaker: Sherry Seethaler, Director of Science Education Outreach UCSD—Thinking Critically About Scientific Controversies and Communicating Science to School Kids. Assignment #4: Prepare a 10 minute talk geared to high school students about a scientific discovery.
February 21
Class presentations of Assignment #4 Discussion and critiques of presentations.
February 23
Class presentations, continued. Discussion and critiques of presentations.
February 28
Class presentations, continued. Discussion and critiques of presentations. Assignment for next class: Reread Chapter 11, Broadcast Science Journalism, A Field Guide to Science Writers.
March 2
Guest Speaker: Rich Wargo, UCSD-TV Science Producer. Assignment #5: Write a 2-minute introduction to a scientific discovery recently featured in a newspaper, magazine article or news release. Assignment due March 7. For examples, see NPR’s Science Friday’s introductions at: http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/
March 7
Text of radio scripts due. Oral presentation of radio scripts.
March 9
Presentation of radio scripts continued. Review and ask questions about final project. Read Chapters 32, 33, 34, 35 in A Field Guide for Science Writers.
March 14
Mike Lee, Environmental Writer, San Diego Union-Tribune.
March 16
Final projects due.
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