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Science Literacy through Science Journalism
Draft Standards for Science Literacy
The following standards were generated by the SciJourn Research Group and are a work in progress. They arise from discussions with science journalists and editors and our work with high school students. The standards focus primarily on content writing, emphasizing our notions of science literacy. Click on the standards and examples from professional writers and trained student journalists, along with how editors query for these elements, will appear. Comments on the standards are welcome newmanal@umsl.edu. However, please do not reproduce, distribute or link to without permission.
The Standard |
An Elaboration on the Standard |
| Articles are based on Multiple Sources
Sources are relevant and reliable.
When appropriate, various stakeholders are consulted.
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The goal of this standard is to recognize that science is an ongoing discussion and that various opinions or views help inform the research process. A more sophisticated analysis would lead a student to realize that even credible sources have certain biases or problems, which is another reason to favor multiple sources.
It is important for students to understand the limitations of information. For example, quoting U.S. data from the Centers for Disease Control for a story on AIDS in Africa may not be as relevant as information from the World Health Organization.
Some science stories naturally lead to questions of how “other” communities and society as a whole are affected. For example, a story on a new medical treatment could quote someone affected by the disease. A new technology to eliminate mercury from coal might include a comment from an industry representative. This underscores the connection between science and society.
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 Examples of Mulitple Sources
 Close Mulitple Sources
| Professional Writer
Medicare pays for the surgery under several cost codes. For one, arthroscopies that involved shaving knee cartilage, Medicare paid for 27,697 arthroscopies in 2002. In 2006, the number was 6,466, Dr. Barry Straube, the current chief medical officer, said.
Dr. E. Anthony Rankin, president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, said most orthopedists appreciated the surgery’s limitations. “As a tool for treating arthritis alone, it probably isn’t a good tool,” he said.
But others say the operation remains popular. In fact, said Dr. David T. Felson, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine, the operation seems to have “become even more popular.” From Gina Kolata New York Times Sept. 10, 2008.
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Student Journalist
As far as getting HIV from tattooing, well its sort of a myth claims Oldershaw. However, the Centers for Disease Control declares that there is still a risk of getting HIV from tattoos. From Ariel Stavri, SciJourner.org.
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Examples of Relevant and Reliable
Close Relevant and Reliable
| Professional Writer
He quickly figured out that the fish was a frogfish — and he should know, since Pietsch has been studying frogfish for decades. From Stephen Ornes Science News for Kids March 11, 2009
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Student Journalist
According to Shaun Oldershaw, there are very few risks from getting a tattoo as long as a professional does them. Oldershaw is a tattoo artist at Cheap Trx on Grand Avenue in Saint Louis, and has been tattooing for nearly eight years.
From Ariel Stavri scijourner.org
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Examples of Various Stakeholders
Close Various Stakeholders
| Professional Writer
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) plans to introduce the "Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite Act" next week that would increase funds for public housing authorities to tackle the problem. The pest-control industry is calling for the feds to pump more cash into researching chemical alternatives to wiping out the bugs, such as heating, freezing or steaming them out of homes and hotels, according to the AP. In the interim, Dini Miller, an entomologist at Virginia Tech, told the newswire that EPA could speed up approval of new pesticides for emergency use.
From Jordan Lite Scientific American 60-Second Science Blog Aug. 15, 2009.
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Student Journalist
As far as getting HIV from tattooing, well its sort of a myth claims Oldershaw. However, the Centers for Disease Control declares that there is still a risk of getting HIV from tattoos.
From Ariel Stavri scijourner.org
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Sources are Credible and Attributed
Except for accepted facts, ideas and theories, all assertions, numbers, details and opinions are attributed.
The names of the experts/organizations are given and their area of expertise/qualification is identified. Any biases or potential conflicts of interest are noted.
Copyright rules are followed and relevant URLs are given.
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For students used to textbooks and teacher lectures, this may be the greatest challenge. Any information that could be seen as new, not widely known, an opinion, or controversial should be attributed in some way. Attribution prevents the author from making blanket or false statements, especially by quoting credible sources. Attribution recognizes that information has a source (who may have a certain agenda), provides a pathway for the reader to verify and expand on something in the story (just as science journal articles must provide sufficient information to replicate the experiments), and establishes a historical record for where an opinion or concept started. Less formal than a reference, attribution includes individual names or organizations, websites, newspapers/TV shows, reports, and press releases. Attribution is particularly important because of the “talk radio” or the “high school social network” model of repeating “facts” that are never sourced.
These details offers help the reader form an opinion on whether the information is trustworthy. In some cases, it may mean understanding who supports the work of a researcher or organization. It also imposes a discipline on the student to pay attention to details such as who supports certain types of work.
Following copyright rules protects the publisher from unwanted fees or legal action; URLs provide the reader with a source for more information. |
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Examples of Credible and Attributed
Close Credible and Attributed
| Professional Writer
Richard Vondrak, project scientist for the LRO mission, said that the spacecraft's Diviner instrument, which maps the temperature of the lunar surface, showed that the craters are indeed cold enough to trap volatiles such as water. From John Matson Scientific American 60-Second Science Blog Sep 17, 2009.
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Student Journalist
In Missouri, there are around 26,000 children under the age of 18 in foster care, according to the Orphan Foundation. From Desire’e Redus scijourner.org, July 12, 2009.
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Examples of Identifying Experts/Organizations
Close Identifying Experts/Organizations
| Examples of identifying experts/organizations and their areas of expertise/qualification; biases or potential conflicts of interest are noted |
| Professional Writer
The Patient Advocate Foundation, an organization that helps people make insurance co-payments for cancer drugs, says oral medicines accounted for 56 percent of the cases in which it helped Medicare patients last year, even though far more cancer patients were on intravenous drugs. From Andrew Pollack New York TimesApril 14, 2009.
Consulting marine ecologist Dennis Lees was hired by Exxon to study intertidal inhabitants. From Janet Raloff Science News March 30, 2009.
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Student Journalist
Cardiac arrest is a problem with the beat of the heart, and is known as an arrhythmia, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) website. The NHLBI is the one of the premier medical research facilities in the world. From Damante Johnson scijourner.org, July 6, 2009
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Scientific information is Contextualized
The new discovery/technology is put into a broader context.
The import of the information is understood and sufficiently detailed; the article indicates which data/ideas are widely accepted and which are preliminary. [The article sensibly weights the import of findings and, where appropriate, uses qualified rather than declarative language. |
Brings a greater understanding to the story.
A description of the broader context helps the author and the reader understand why they should care about the discovery/technology and why researchers are interested in the topic. It underscores the interconnection of science and society and the cumulative nature of scientific research.
This asks students to understand the nature, limits and risks of a discovery, emerging concept or technology. The reader also benefits because this goal helps determine the trustworthiness of the information and its importance. Does the new knowledge significantly change how experts view the topic or does it confirm what is known and believed? Researchers typically qualify their findings; reporters should do the same to reflect the uncertainty. Preliminary knowledge carries the risk of being wrong or unsuccessful in the long run. On the other hand, good science writers understand which ideas carry greater scientific weight and therefore are less likely to be drawn off into futile debates that are more social, political, or ideological in nature, such as whether global warming is real or intelligent design is a theory.
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Examples of Contextualizing Information.
Close Contextualizing Information
| Examples of Contextualizing Information. The new discovery/technology is put into a broader context. |
| Professional Writer
Only about one-quarter of invasive ovarian cancers are detected in the early stages, when the disease is most treatable. From Roni Caryn Rabin New York Times March 10, 2009.
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Student Journalist
Less than 50% of youth in foster care in the United States graduate high school, according to statistics found on the Orphan Foundation of America website. That compares to a 2008 high school graduation rate of 85% for all Missouri teens, reported on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website. Worse yet, only about 10% of teens coming from foster care enroll in college, and less than 2% complete their work and earn a bachelor’s degree, according to Connect for Kids.
From Desire’e Redus scijourner.org, July 12, 2009.
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Examples of Import of the Information and Providing Sufficient Detail
Close Import of the Information
| Examples of understanding the import of the information and providing sufficient detail; the article indicates which data/ideas are widely accepted and which are preliminary. The article sensibly weights the import of findings and, where appropriate, uses qualified rather than declarative language. |
| Professional Writer
Scientists say promoting and protecting the growth of forests and other plants may boost plants’ capacity to take up CO2 in the atmosphere. Such practices may also increase soils’ capacity to store carbon for long periods of time.
From Susan Gaidos Science News for Kids March 4, 2009.
Neither of these hypotheses explains what creates the methane in the first place.
From Liz Savage Science News for Kids Feb. 18, 2009.
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Student Journalist
There are many risk factors for this cancer, such as being infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV), smoking, and a depressed immune system. It is believed that anal cancer can be caused by HPV-16, which is spread through sex, according to the American Cancer Society. From Adeola Adewale scijourner.org, July 6, 2009.
The disadvantage of an electric car is the battery. It’s heavy, expensive to make and offers limited power and range. From Ariel Stavri scijourner.org, July 12, 2009
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Scientific information is Relevant to Readers
Reported findings are linked to local concerns and new applications are considered.
The lede (lead) and important information are forefronted and less important details placed lower in the story.
Readers’ implied questions are recognized and answered. |
Reporters have a duty to speak to their audience, whether it is fellow students or the teacher. It also underscores that science and technology affects each of us personally.
This is an important element of journalism’s inverted triangle structure, but it also require the student to determine the gist of the story, what details are most important and which facts help flesh out the story.
Reporters’ questions should be critical and reflect those of the readers. |
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Examples of Relevant to Readers
Close Relevant to Readers
| Examples of making scientific information Relevant to Readers
Reported findings are linked to local concerns and new applications are considered |
| Professional Writer
Most schools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help boost your test scores.
From Emily Sohn Science News for Kids April 4, 2007
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Student Journalist
Picture your summer filled with nothing but experiments, formulas, and science. What kid really wants to spend the summer doing science, and, if they do, is it fun? From KiOnty Turner scijourner.org, July 12, 2009
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Examples of Forefronting Important Information in the Lede
Close Forefronting Important Information in the Lede
| Professional Writer
A University of Utah sleep expert has joined with researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University to identify a genetic variation in humans, which the scientists also developed in mouse models, that allows a rare number of people to require less sleep than others.
From sciendaily.com, Sept. 17, 2009. |
Student Journalist
Cardiac arrest was the coroner’s announcement following the tragic death of music legend Michael Jackson on June 25. Many people believe that meant a heart attack, but going into cardiac arrest is something different. From Damante Johnson scijourner.org, July 6, 2009.
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Examples of Answering Readers’ Implied Questions
Close Answering Readers’
| Professional Writer
Understanding how the brain works is not easy, says Haier. The scientists don’t know if the brain changes due to Tetris will help a person learn new skills or have better memory. “We know Tetris changes the brain,” Haier says. “We don’t know if it’s good for you.” From Stephen Ornes, sciencenews.org, Sept. 16, 2009. |
Student Journalist
Which is a 400 and 410-calorie difference, and a bonus is that the lunch at the Taylor Center is free unlike the $6 or $7 you might spend everyday going out to eat. From KiOnty Turner scijourner.org, July 12, 2009.
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Details are Factually Accurate and Answers the 5 W’s.
The article shows an understanding of the content and is able to explain concepts and information, including the experimental process.
Precise language is employed and scientific terms are used appropriately.
Quantitative measures are given in correct and comparable units.
The latest information is presented |
Students must pay attention to details, including ensuring the science is right and names are spelled correctly. The who, what, were, when and why should be present.
The writer must appreciate the scientific process. In the long run, the new discovery or technology may be incorrect or fail (e.g,,cold fusion), but the initial reporting should be as accurate as possible. Depending on the story’s audience, the student author should provide sufficient information so that the reader understands the discovery and how scientists arrived at the finding. This requires the student to understand and digest the technical elements of the story.
The author’s challenge is to explain scientific ideas simply without changing the science. Consider the problem of astronauts “floating” in space vs. living in a low gravity environment. Or not differentiating between diabetes type I and type II.
Nearly every story has a number—a percentage, cost, patients tested, etc. It is an important element of science practice. Quantitative measures can be given as analogies.
Reporters strive to “break a story” or to be the first to analyze events. Students lack the resources to be first, but they should determine that their information and the issues are up-to-date. No one wants to promote a medical treatment that has been discarded. This encourages students to look at publication/announcement dates as a means to determine timeliness. |
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Examples of Providing Factually Accurate Information and Answering the 5 W’s
Close Factually Accurate Information
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Student Journalist
Her first book , Somebody Else’s Child, was written at the age of 40. That book earned Grimes an Anthony Award in 1996 for best first novel and best paperback. A year later, Grimes was awarded a Chester Himes Award for the best African-American mystery book. From Jerricka Cotton scijourner.org, July 12, 2009.
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Examples of Understanding the Content and Explaining Concepts and Information
Close Content and Explaining Concepts and Information
| Examples of understanding the content and explaining concepts and information, including the experimental process |
| Professional Writer
Test scratches made with a razor blade healed after less than an hour of exposure to a 120 watt fluorescent UV lamp, a little more power than you’d get from sitting in the sun… From Rachel Ehrenberg Science News April 11, 2009, p. 10.
Astronomers can't see black holes, but they presume their presence by noting the mass that circles around them and calculating the gravity that must be at play. From Andrea Thompson space.com, Sep. 4, 2009.
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Student Journalist
The biggest earthquake ever detected, which occurred in Chile, was magnitude 9.5 on the Richter scale. Each magnitude is 10 times bigger than the one before it. From Jerricka Cotton scijourner.org, Aug. 4, 2009.
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Examples of Precise Language and Using Scientific Terms Appropriately
Close Precise Language’
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Student Journalist
A McDonald’s lunch has 1050 calories, 44 grams of fat, 1195 milligrams of sodium, according to the McDonald’s website. On the other hand, a lunch with turkey at the Taylor Center contains 650 calories, 20.5 grams of fat and 1455 milligrams of sodium. From KiOnty Turner scijourner.org, July 12, 2009.
The butterflies with the orange-banded backs are male Orange Shoemakers. The way to identify a male Shoemaker is by the color stripes on their wing backs. Females have both an orange and white stripes but males only have a bright orange stripe, as bright as a pumpkin. From Desire’e Redus scijourner.org, July 20, 2009.
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Examples of Quantitative Measures
Close Quantitative Measures
| Professional Writer
Worldwide 42 million hectares of Bt corn and cotton, an area nearly the size of California, were planted in 2007. From Rachel Ehrenberg Science News March 4, 2009.
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Student Journalist
A survey by SciJourner of 51 youth, ages 21 and under, finds that nearly a third say they are “addicted” to social networking, but only 8% of the teens and young adults surveyed feel that social networking affects their relationships with other people. The survey also showed that younger teens, ages 14 and 15, use the social networks Facebook and Bebo more than teens at the age of 17. From Desire’e Redus scijourner.org, July 25, 2009.
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Examples of Presenting the Latest Information
Close Latest Information
| Professional Writer
Their study is scheduled for the Nov. 12 issue of ACS' Journal of Physical Chemistry A, a weekly publication.
From sciencdaily.com, Sept. 18, 2009
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Student Journalist
On June 23, The Obama Administration announced a $8 billion loan to car companies to encourage them to continue the development of fuel efficient cars.
From Ariel Stavri scijourner.org, July 12, 2009
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