Scientific Literacy

A thorough examination of science education literature confirms that there is no one agreed upon definition for scientific literacy; however, the understanding of what it means to be scientifically literate repeatedly overlaps throughout the research. After our review of the literature, we developed our own definition of scientific literacy with which we used to guide the development of this website resource.

What does it mean to be scientifically literate?

A scientifically literate person is one who effectively evaluates, analyzes, comprehends, applies and connects real-world and scientific concepts (Carl & Cofnas, 2016; Roth & Calabrese Barton, 2004). Science literacy is attained by becoming proficient in science communication through reading, writing, and speaking skills. The use and application of a multitude of skills and processes cultivate a scientifically literate person to be able to make educated decisions and inferences about the world around them (Hurd, 1997). Science teachers are tasked with the responsibility of exposing, engaging, and supporting students' understanding of scientific concepts through the use of literacy components (Fives, Huebner, Birnbaum, & Nicolich, 2014). It is our belief that effectively teaching science through reading, speaking and writing will build a strong foundation of scientific literacy in all students.

The following three sections are dedicated to the identification of each literacy component and the research behind how each is defined.