Scientists are sometimes stereotyped as being an elitist group possessing a great level of knowledge about things the rest of us don't understand. Many scientific studies are complex and specialized, so in many ways it is not surprising that the general public's understanding of today's scientific thinking is often somewhat limited. Part of the problem, though, is that most scientific papers are written in such technical language that is, as scientist and author Jared Diamond has pointed out, "incomprehensible even to scientists, except for specialists in the author’s narrow field." ("Kinship to the Stars", Discover Magazine, May, 1997.)
There are, however, a number of scientists who have dedicated a part of their life's work to making science accessible to all who are interested. The genre of "popular science" writing seeks to inform the lay public about scientific ideas in interesting and engaging ways. The really good science writers do even more - they inspire!
Objectivity may be an important part of scientific experimentation, but good writing is filled with the passion and even biases of the author. In this class, you will critically examine works from a number of prominent science writers; exploring and evaluating not only the content, but the effectiveness of the writing itself. You will also create your own "popular science" essay.
- Teacher: Dirk Oden