PLG0046, Popular science communication, 3.0 Hp
Print syllabus

Syllabus

Level

Third cycle

Grading Scale

The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.

Course language

English

Entry Requirements

Objectives

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.

Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course

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.

Responsible Department/Equivalent

Department of Plant Protection Biology

Supplementary information

Other Information

Online course with max. 16 students Lectures Exercises Seminars where students discuss and give feedback on popular science texts
Feedback by professional journalists and other external teachers on popular science texts