JOUR 410 - Science and New Media

(3 units)

In this class, we will untangle complex stories of scientific discovery to tell dynamic, human-centered narratives that connect with broad audiences. Apply your growing skills in multimedia journalism to enhance your science reporting, utilizing new and evolving storytelling mediums. We will practice pitching stories, explore the writing process, and experiment with different ways to incorporate visuals, audio, or other multimedia elements to tell compelling stories about science. We will also learn to think critically about misinformation and read and analyze work by science journalists who are at the top of their trade. Work produced in class has the potential to be published on the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science website or in other relevant media outlets.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): Juniors and Seniors

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Spring

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. translate complicated, technical science and research into clear, accurate, and jargon-free stories.
2. develop compelling stories to convey scientific concepts to the general public using new and evolving media forms.
3. distinguish between sound and unsound interpretations of scientific information, identifying and avoiding misinformation.
4. identify, pitch, fact-check, and prepare their science stories for publication in a variety of media forums.
5. analyze and evaluate the relationship between science, journalism, and the public.

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