Popular science communication
The course starts with
two days of lectures and discussions about the need for popular science communication and which tools are available
comparison of scientific and popular science texts
where to publish and how to do it and to what kind of audience one is writing.
After this, independent work follows when PhD students practice on giving interviews and interviewing somebody else, writing on Wikipedia, writing a synopsis, and a manuscript ready to be submitted to a journal.
The written products are evaluated by the other PhD students and the teaching team. After feedback the manuscripts are prepared for publishing.
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
PLG0046 Popular science communication, 3.0 Credits
Subjects
Other Social ScienceEducation cycle
Postgraduate levelGrading scale
Prior knowledge
All PhD students can apply, including those who plan to register in a near futureObjectives
To become aware of available popular science communication tools and channels.
To plan and perform popular science communication adapted to different audiences.
To identify "core stories" about your research that can be communicated to a wider audience.
To write popular science texts that could be published.
To present your research orally during interviews.
PhD students will learn about and practice popular science communication. A large part concerns training to write popular scientific texts, with the aim to publish the texts produced during the course.
Content
The course starts with
two days of lectures and discussions about the need for popular science communication and which tools are available
comparison of scientific and popular science texts
where to publish and how to do it and to what kind of audience one is writing.
After this, independent work follows when PhD students practice on giving interviews and interviewing somebody else, writing on Wikipedia, writing a synopsis, and a manuscript ready to be submitted to a journal.
The written products are evaluated by the other PhD students and the teaching team. After feedback the manuscripts are prepared for publishing.
Formats and requirements for examination
To pass the course, all the assignments should be done and the PhD students must produce a popular science text ready for submission to a popular science journal. The actual submission and getting the manuscript published is however the student’s own responsibility.
Additional information
Online course with max. 16 studentsLectures
Exercises
Seminars where students discuss and give feedback on popular science texts
Feedback by professional journalists and other external teachers on popular science texts
Responsible department
Department of Plant Protection Biology