C:\Data\ACourses\C520f98\C520f98 Syllabus
October 14, 1998
Communications 520A: Practicum, News-Editorial
Topic: Science and Risk Assessment Reporting
Fall 1998; Wed. 7:00 - 9:45 p.m., H-326B, Section Code 15983
Tony Rimmer, Office: H-324B, ph. 278-3271/3517; email: trimmer@fullerton.edu
Office Hours: MW, 2.00-4.00 p.m., or by appointment
The intersection of science and journalism is often a bloody crossroads
– Mona Charen, 1999
Catalog Entry
Prerequisites: Comm 500 and six units of study-plan courses in area of specialization…Under supervision of a faculty member, students plan, design, conduct and evaluate a team project in their field of specialization.
COURSE OBJECTIVE
The course will provide students with a professional experience in the problems and possibilities of science and risk reporting. We will see the science/risk story from conception through execution, production, and publication. Our professional goal will be to publish, with the help of the newspaper staff, a science edition of The Daily Titan. Our academic goal will be to develop an understanding of what science and risk reporting is, what it is not, and what it tries to be.
COURSE STRUCTURE
Our primary goal is to develop our professional skills in reporting topics in science. So there will be a series of three story assignments due through the semester in a variety of subject areas. We will also try and develop a critical understanding of the place of science in society and the media’s role in finding that place. A paper developing this idea will be due early in the semester.
Given our small class size and the nature of our topic we will meet wherever possible where our sources work.
We will use the class, and the rapidly improving computing capabilities on campus, as opportunities to work on-line as much as possible. This means lots of internet and web work. This is key productivity issue for journalists and it behooves us to gain as much facility with on-line technologies as we can. On-line work also means we need to gain experience in evaluating the information we acquire.
We will work through the following issues:
What is science?
What does the public know about science?
How do scientists and the media view each other?
What is science reporting? Does it differ from other forms of news reporting?
What is good science reporting?
What makes a good science story?
There will be a midterm exam, scheduled Week 9. It will be an in-class, open book exam. A cumulating study guide will be offered to take us through the midterm exam. Exam questions will be drawn from this study guide.
There is no final exam. We will be working on our major story through the end of the semester.
TEXTS
There are four required texts
Nelkin, D. (1995). Selling science: How the press covers science and technology, rev. ed. NY: Freeman. ("Nelkin"). Not ordered at Titan Bookstore. Try amazon.com
Cohn, V. (1989). News & numbers: A guide to reporting statistical claims and controversies in health and other fields. Ames, IA: Iowa State University. ("Cohn"). In the Titan Bookstore.
Hartz, J., & Chappel, R. (1997). Worlds apart: How the distance between science and journalism threatens America’s future. Nashville, TN: First Amendment Center. ("Worlds part"). Provided by the instructor.
4. International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC) booklet (December, 1997): How to understand and interpret food and health-related scientific studies. A useful pamphlet on the right kinds of questions to ask when reading science. Provided by the instructor, and on www at: http://ificinfo.health.org press/scirept.htm
Recommended: An AP style manual. The 7th Edition is available in the Titan bookstore.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Class participation: In a seminar, attendance is by nature mandatory. You are obligated not just to attend, but to participate. To participate, you must be prepared. We do this by reading and thinking critically about the readings.
A short paper on "Problems in Reporting Science." Due Week 5.
Three science stories:
A personality profile of a scientist and his/her science ("Do scientists look like their science in the way people look like their pets?"). Due Week 6.
A story developed from statistical data (offered by an "authority/visitor"). Due Week 11.
An ethical/legal/risk topic in science ("How did the issue get to be so controversial, and what is the risk?"). Due Week 16.
A midterm exam: In-class, open book, typed. Three essay questions from five or six that the instructor selects from the class study guide. Scheduled for Week 9.
A book report on a popular science book. Due Week 14.
Three Presentations:
Good Science Writing
An "Off The (Science) Wall" piece
Book Report
GRADING
Grades/scoring will be assigned on the following basis:
1. Writing assignments:
Paper1 10%
Story1, Story2 10% each
Story3 20% _____
Paper/Stories total 50%
2. Midterm exam 20%
3. Book report 10%
4. Short assignments/presentations 10%
5. Class participation 10%
Total 100%
COURSE SCHEDULE: [ ] indicates instructor’s document file names
WEEK 1. Wed. Aug. 26: Class Organization; Syllabus discussion
Class Organization:
Introductions: name, id#, addresses, phone numbers, email address
Syllabus discussion [C520f98 Syllabus]
Paper 1 Assigned (Due: Week 5): Topic: "Problems in Reporting Science"
Activities:
Lexis-Nexis: Nelkin’s Lancet (1996) piece on "…The tension between medicine and media.
www:
Who is Dorothy Nelkin?
Locate International Food Information Council’s publication: "How to understand and interpret food & health-related scientific studies." At http://ificinfo.health.org/press/scirept.htm
"Off the (Science) Wall": e.g., Rustrum’s "Ten Commandments of Science Reporting"
Find science writing/writers’ groups and associations.
Readings/Handouts:
Paper 1 Assigned (Due: Week 5): Topic: "Problems in Reporting Science"
The general problems:
Science and Media: Nelkin, D. (1996). An uneasy relationship: The tension between medicine and media. Lancet, 347(15), 1600-
Science, Journalists, and the Public: Weslowski, B. (1996). Is the public losing faith in science?" at http://www.lehigh.edu/~inbrw/fall96/961112/page091.htm
Science and the Public: Scientific illiteracy? The Economist (May 9, 1998). Unscientific readers of science. pp. 83-84.
The general relationship: Sputnik: 40 years later--Science, the news media, and the future. Worlds Apart, pp. 135-167. A good science story?
The Science Story:
Friedman et al (1986). "What makes a good science story?
Cole, K.C. (1997, November 20). A true-life story: Why science writers lie. Los Angeles Times.
WEEK 2. Wed. Sept. 2: Paper 1--The Scientist’s Point of View; The Public and Science.
Class meets at W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Molecular Structure (CmolS), MH-077, Director: Dr. Katherine Kantardjieff
Readings for next time:
Nelkin (1995). Preface & Ch. 1
Worlds Apart. Front material through p. 37.
(Monday. Sept. 7, Labor Day Campus closed)
WEEK 3. Wed. Sept. 9: Paper 1--The Research: Library 1 Visit; Presentation Series begin.
Good Science Writing and "Off the (Science) Wall" presentations begin
Cumulating Midterm Study Guide [Study Guide Vn1] issued.
Story 1 assigned (due Week 6) Topic: Personality Profile of a Scientist:
Example piece: K.C. Cole’s Keck Observatory piece, Los Angeles Times, 8/17/98.
Profiling help: Hay (1990). Profiles. Ch. 16 in The essential feature: Writing for magazines and newspapers. NY: Columbia University Press.
WEEK 4. Wed. Sept. 16: Paper 1--The Journalists’ Point of View (& the (Model?) Science Story): Visit Orange County Register, Pat Brennan, Environment Reporter and Gary Robins, Science Reporter.
1. Readings: TBA
WEEK 5. Wed. Sept. 23: Paper 1 Due:
Good Writing and Off the (Science) Wall presentations
Work on Paper 1 in-class
Readings:
a. Nelkin, Ch. 6, 7
b. Worlds Apart, pp. 37-46
WEEK 6. Wed. Sept. 30: Story 1 Due
Work on Story 1 in-class
Good Writing and Off the (Science) Wall presentations
Cumulating Midterm Study Guide [Study Guide Vn2] issued
4. Readings:
Nelkin, Ch. 2, 3
Worlds Apart, pp. 47-60
WEEK 7. Wed. Oct. 7: Assign Story 2 (due Week 11)
Good Writing and "Off the (Science) Wall" presentations
2. Readings:
Nelkin, Ch. 4, 5
Worlds Apart, pp. 61-90
WEEK 8. Wed. Oct. 14: Review for midterm exam:
Good Writing and "Off the (Science) Wall" presentations
Cumulating Midterm Study Guide [Study Guide Vn3] issued
Assign Story 2 (Risk & Police Contact in 1997 BJS data set (due Week 12)
Work on Story 2 in-class
Readings:
a. Nelkin, Ch. 8, 9, 10
b. Worlds Apart, pp. 91-121
c. Cohn, Ch. 9 (re BJS Statistics, and Story 2)
WEEK 9. Wed. Oct. 21: Midterm Exam (in-class, open book).
WEEK 10. Wed. Oct. 28: Story 3 Assigned
Good Writing and "Off the (Science) Wall" presentations
Assign Story 3 (due Week 16)
Work on Story 2 in-class
Readings: Cohn, Ch. 1,2,3
WEEK 11. Wed. Nov. 4: Library II: Advanced Searching/Evaluating www information.
WEEK 12. Wed. Nov. 11: Reporting Risk; Story3 Visit--The Science Reporting.
1. re Story3 Assignment--the science reporting. Visit Susan Kelleher, Kim Christenson, Investigative Reporters, Orange County Register, on their 1996 Pulitzer prize-winning reporting of the UCI Medical Center fertility scandal.
Readings: Cohn, Ch. 4, 5, 6
2. Story 2 due
WEEK 13. Wed. Nov. 18: Reporting Risk; Story3 Visitor(s)--The Ethics.
re Story3 Assignment--The Ethics: Visitors: Dr. Al Flores (Philosophy, on bioethics), Dean Rick Pullen (Communications, on reporter ethics).
Good Writing and "Off the (Science) Wall" presentations
Readings:
Cohn, Ch. 7, 8
Science/Journalism Ethic9ss:
Science: (@TBA: chapter(s) from Resnick (1998)?
Journalism: Dowie, M. (1998, July 6). What’s wrong with the New York Times’s science reporting? The Nation. At http//thenation.com/issue/980706/0706DOW1.HTM
(Thanksgiving Recess, Nov. 23-27, Campus closed Nov. 26-27)
WEEK 14. Wed. Dec. 2: Reporting Risk; Story3 Visit--The Law.
re Story3 Assignment--The Law: Visit Cindy Parkhurst, Lawyer/Librarian, Western State University College of Law.
Readings: Science/Law, TBA
WEEK 15. Wed. Dec. 9: Last Class; Book Reports; Course Evaluation.
Book Report presentations
Course Evaluation
Work on Story 3 in-class
(Last day of class instruction: Friday, Dec. 11)
WEEK 16: Dec. 14-18: Semester Exams. Story 3 due at final exam time, Wed. Dec 16, 7.30 p.m.
REFERENCES
Cohn, V. (1989). News & numbers: A guide to reporting statistical claims and controversies in health and other fields. Ames, IA: Iowa State University.
Charen, M. (1999, September 22). The myth of the 0-3 formative years. Orange County Register. Op-ed page.
Dowie, M. (1998, July 6). What’s wrong with the New York Times’s science reporting? The Nation. At http//thenation.com/issue/980706/0706DOW1.HTM
Hartz, J., & Chappel, R. (1997). Worlds apart: How the distance between science and journalism threatens America’s future. Nashville, TN: First Amendment Center.
Goldstein, N. (ed.) (1998). The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, 7th trade ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Hay, V. (1990). The essential feature: Writing for magazines and newspapers. NY: Columbia University Press.
Nelkin, D. (1995). Selling science: How the press covers science and technology, rev. ed. NY: Freeman.
International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC) booklet (December, 1997): How to understand and interpret food and health-related scientific studies. At http://ificinfo.health.org
Weslowski, B. (1996). Is the public losing faith in science? at http://www.lehigh.edu/~inbrw/fall96/961112/page091.htm
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