Scientific Storytelling: Making Science Meaningful

Description of the course:

Most scientists recognize the importance of communicating scientific results to the public as being critical to our society’s progress and ultimately its survival. Unfortunately, many efforts to convey scientific information fall short for various reasons including scientists’ inability to effectively tell their “story” in ways that are interesting and compelling to non-scientists. This class will investigate the aims of scientific communication (Why do we want to communicate science and what do we want to communicate?), the forms of scientific communication (how and when do we communicate scientific information?), the role of scientists and other stakeholders (who gets to communicate science?), and finally, the audience (who are we trying to reach with this scientific information?).

All Core 101 sections stress the importance of and offer practice in the four basic liberal arts skills:  critical thinking, information literacy, and written and oral communication.  However, half of the Core 101 sections will emphasizes writing instruction and writing practice.  These sections are called writing pilot sections, and ours is one of them.  While all sections of Core 101 will be writing intensive, only the writing pilot courses will have intentional writing instruction delivered each week throughout the entire semester.  Moreover, all of us teaching a Core 101 writing pilot have received special training on the teaching of writing.  In the next couple of years, the College’s goal is to make all Core 101 sections writing instruction sections, so consider yourself on the cutting edge of Core 101 instruction!  Most importantly, you will be receiving writing instruction that will be useful to you throughout your academic career.

Time:  

MWF 1:10-2:00pm

Location: Goodpaster Hall 198

For the health and safety of our community, within all campus buildings, including classrooms and laboratories, all students are required to wear snug face coverings over the nose and mouth and comply with social distancing to the extent possible. The face covering must also be snug in fit and should reach your chin when your nose and mouth are fully covered. Face shields are not considered a face covering replacement for facial masks during classes. Failure to comply will result in your being excused from the class session, subsequent class meetings, and potentially from the residential campus experience. 

SMCM Land Acknowledgment and Pledge:

We acknowledge that the land on which we are learning, working and gathering today is the ancestral home of the Yacocomico and Piscataway Peoples. We also acknowledge that St. Mary's City was partly built and sustained by enslaved people of African descent. Through this acknowledgment, we recognize these communities and all those who have been displaced and enslaved through colonization. 

Given the unique importance of the land on which we sit and given the unique educational mission of St. Mary’s College of Maryland as The National Public Honors College, we pledge to continue to unearth and understand these historic realities so that they inform all of our work. We also pledge to work tirelessly in making our institution more accessible, inclusive and equitable, especially for those populations most affected by societal inequities. We do this with the understanding that by supporting and learning from all of our diverse communities, we build a more sustainable future for all.

Learning Outcomes

None: You will be provided with all required reading materials.