Communicating Science for Development: Skills and Models

Communicating Science for Development
VISION
A provide of relevant and quality education to
a society where citizens are competent,
skilled, dignified and community- oriented.
MISSION
An academic institution providing
technological, professional, research and
extension programs to form principled men
and women of competencies and skills
responsive to local and global development
needs.
QUALITY POLICY
Northwest Samar State University commits to
provide quality outcomes-based education,
research, extension and production through
continual improvement of all its programs,
thereby producing world class professionals.
CORE VALUES
Resilience. Integrity. Service. Excellence.
INSTITUTIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOMES

Creative and critical thinkers
Life-long learners
Effective communicators
Morally and socially upright individuals
Table of Contents
Module 1 – The Science of Science Communication 1
Lesson 1. What is Science Communication? 2

Lesson 2. Knowing your Audience and Understanding your Message 8
Rationale
Communicating Science for Development (DevCom Elec 3) is one of the

required courses in Bachelor of Science in Development Communication based on
its institutional and program outcomes. This course is offered in the 3rd year 2nd
semester of the BSDC Curriculum.
This course involves lecture and laboratory classes delivery through flexible
learning. Communicating science for development is one of the core functions of a
development communicator, it is one of the important unique aspects of
development communication that sets it apart from other fields of communication. In
this course, students will understand the importance of science communication and
how to communicate science to different audiences. Students will also get to apply
and have hands-on experience in communicating science for development through
the laboratory classes. To students, if you read this send me a funny cat meme for
some bonus points. As expected, students must be able to achieve the module
outcomes with its lesson objectives in order to attain the course outcomes.
This module will also provide the essential readings to help you grasp the
necessary concepts and skills. This module is self-instructional material in which you
will be guided on how to use it and what requirements are needed to be complied for
the class for this semester.
Join the class in Google Classroom, class code: bva37td

Kindly email me at preciousjoyce.ogdoc@nwssu.edu.ph for your concerns.
PRECIOUS JOYCE D. OGDOC

Faculty
Course Code: DevCom Elec 3

Course Title: Communicating Science for Development
Course Description: This course will focus on the importance of science
communication. This course will equip students the necessary
skills to correctly communicate science to its target audience. In
this course, students will get hands on experience in the practice
of translating, popularizing, and transmitting scientific ideas,
knowledge, methods, and research to a non-expert audience.
Prerequisite: None
Course Outcomes:
At the end of the course, your students must be able to:
1. Explain the importance of science communication and the different
skills necessary in science communication.
2. Demonstrate basic knowledge and skills in producing scientific articles
and communication materials used in communicating science to
different audiences.
3. Apply and hone acquired skills in communicating science for
development.
Course Content:
As explained above, DevCom Elec 3 explores the importance of science

communication and the various media to communicate science for development.
The table below shows the outline of the topics to be discussed in the lecture
per week vis-à-vis the course outcomes. It is designed based on the course syllabus
approved by the College Dean in the College of Criminal Justice and Sciences.
Module Learning Date of

Week Topics Assessment
Outcomes Submission
1-3 Module 1: The Science of
Science Communication
 Lesson 1. What is Science
2nd week of
Communication?
February
 Lesson 2. Knowing your
Audience and Understanding
your Message
4-6 Module 2: Models of Science

Communication
 Lesson 1. The Deficit Model
 Lesson 2. The Contextual
Model 1st week of
 Lesson 3. The Lay Expertise March
Model
 Lesson 4. The Public
Participation Model
7-18 Module 3: Science
Communication in Action
 Lesson 1. Writing about
Science 2nd week of
 Lesson 2. Visualizing Science May
 Lesson 3. Speaking about
Science
 Lesson 4. Using Social Media
for Science
Note: All readings, exercises and examples were taken from books, articles, and
compiled for instructional purposes only for this module.
Course Requirements:
In general, the requirements for DevCom Elec 3 are as follows:
 A Science Feature Article
 An Infographic Poster
 A Science Magazine (Collective Class Output)
Grading Criteria:
Requirement/Assessment Task Percentage

Major Course Output (Lec and Lab) 50%
Major Exams 30%
Class Standing (Quizzes, etc.) 20%
TOTAL 100%
Course Materials:
 Course policies
 Reading Materials
 Computer Laboratory equipment
MODULE 1
MODULE TITLE
The Science of Science Communication
MODULE DESCRIPTION
In this module, we will explore what is Science Communication and its
importance in development. We will also discuss how to properly communicate
science, and have an overview of the different means and models of science
communication.
PURPOSE OF THE MODULE

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:
 Explain the definition and importance of science communication.
 Discuss the different means of science communication.
 Provide an overview of the models of science communication that will
be on the next module.
MODULE GUIDE
This module will provide you with readings and required
activities/assessments to learn the lesson. The Learning Plan is comprised of 2
Lessons. The 1st lesson will be on defining Science Communication, and the need
and importance of communicating science, while the 2 nd lesson is on how to
communicate science.
MODULE OUTCOMES
At the end of this module, the students must be able to
 Explain the definition and importance of science communication.
 Discuss the different means of science communication.
 Expound the fundamental aspects of communicating science to different
audiences and different kinds of messages.
MODULE REQUIREMENTS
At the end of this module, students are required to write and submit a science
feature article and do the activities posted on the course’s Google Classroom.
DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 1 of 23


LEARNING PLAN
Lesson No: 1
Lesson Title: What is Science Communication?
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
 Define what is Science Communication
 Understand the importance of communicating science for development.
Requirement Submission: All requirements for Lesson 1 must be submitted on or
before 11 February 2022.
Lesson Proper:
 What is Science Communication?
“You don’t really understand something unless you can explain it to your
grandmother.” Anon.
During the early days of the vaccination drive for the COVID19 vaccine, a lot
of people expressed their hesitancy and refusal to get vaccinated. There were many
stories about the possible side effects and, perhaps, the danger of getting the
vaccine. Scientists were clamoring to prove that the vaccine is safe and useful for
the fight against the virus. How do you make the general public, people who are non-
experts, become aware and understand? This is where Science Communication
comes in.

Science communication (SciComm) refers to the practice of communicating
science-related topics to non-experts, usually in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM). Non-scientists and everyday citizens need to be
informed and educated about current scientific issues in order to be fully informed
about the world they live in—climate change, vaccines, and COVID-19 are some
current issues with a big impact on our lives.
Science communication audiences should not require any prior interest or
educational background in STEM. There is no limit to how to communicate science
or who to communicate science to. It is a growing field that is multidisciplinary in
nature that may take from a wide range of communication disciplines and styles.
Science communicators should come to grips with what science is, how to bring out
its nuances, and comprehend its vast, complex, technical, and sometimes
complicated knowledge base.
Before we dive more into science communication, we should first understand
what development should be. Human development, as we have it today, is often
equated with parameters that are perhaps more suited to the measurement of
various variables that accompany development but do not signify the same in totality,
such as financial growth, economic progress, infrastructure building, and so on and
so forth. However, there is a lot more to development than what meets the eye.

Human development is not just about economic growth, for money alone cannot
ensure human happiness. Development is more about a positive change in a
person’s living conditions, a change that is desired by him and striven for towards
achieving the same at a future point of time primarily owing to its unavailability at a
certain point in time.
While it is true that development seeks to improve the present state of living of
human beings, it must be remembered that human beings exist because the earth
exists. Thus, while efforts towards human development need to be taken, the future
of the earth also needs to be taken into account. This aspect of development is
attributed to sustainable development. According to the Brundtland Report released
by the United Nations in 1987, “Sustainable development is development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.” Such an approach is of paramount importance since the
resources on the earth are limited while the human population is increasing at a
rapid pace. With this regard, policy-makers and the lay public should be
knowledgeable about science and take it into consideration when making decisions
toward a more sustainable future.
As Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “Science is very pure in its aims, and science
does not know any borders, of either geography, political, linguistic or religious. But
science has one disadvantage as well – in the division of people between those who
know science and those who do not; those who use it and those who do not. The
divide manifests itself in many names, such as, developed and developing nations;
economically advanced and economically backwards; and the latest phrase used is;
digital divide. This divide caused by imbalances in scientific knowledge has been one

of the key factors leading to disharmony across the world including religious or
political conflicts, terrorism, and civil disobedience.”
Interestingly enough, science communication can play a very important role in
bridging this digital divide. As Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam further adds, “Fortunately,
science also has the potential to remove these imbalances and bring happy and
prosperous order in the nations and societies across the world. One of the recent
contributions has been in the field of communication. Communication has advanced
so much that we could transfer knowledge from the experts to the least empowered
citizen without the concern of distance and time taken. So, time is most apt today for
the usage of giga-bandwidth and eloquent capabilities of scientists to explain
complex concepts with absolute ease to the common man.”
Effective science communication can go a long way in bringing people closer
to science and to a more sustainable future. While science communication should be
done by the scientists themselves, it is also our role as development communicators
to do it.
The Importance of Communicating Science Correctly

This screenshot of a headline from Daily Mail looks like something we should
be worried about, right? Are smartphones making us STUPID? Really?
Not really. The study in which the article is based is a correlational study and
not a causal study. This means that smartphones use is correlated or associated
with lazy thinking, and not caused by it. The study authors even wrote that “the
results reported herein should be considered preliminary” in explaining the limitations
of the work.
Perhaps it was the press release, announcing the publication of the study.
That release had the headline “Reliance on smartphones linked to lazy thinking.” The
word “linked” suggests causality and ought to be tweaked to “Reliance on
smartphones is associated with lazy thinking,” or something similar.
Notice how even the words used in the headline changed how the article was
interpreted? One word could create misunderstandings and miscommunications.
It is crucial that we, as development communicators, become better science
journalists. Science communicators need to be responsible for making sure they

read the original article to the best of their ability and deflate exaggeration as much
as possible that might persist despite all of our best efforts.
Above all, science communicators must respect the Cs of communication to
ensure a fruitful communication experience. These include:
 Credibility: Science communicators must verify that the information is
credible.
 Context: Science communicators should never emphasize information
out of context.
 Content: Science communicators must always stick to the relevant
content.
 Clarity: Science communicators must put out the messages distinctly
and in the simplest possible manner.
 Continuity and Consistency: Science communicators must ensure
continuity and consistency in the message.
 Channels: Science communicators must stick to audience-specific
channels.
 The capability of the audience: Science communicators must always
bear in mind the capability or adaptability of the audience.
Now that we have established the importance of getting science
communication right let’s get to it.
Hold on.
Before we head on to a science communication project, science
communicators should be able to answer the following questions:

 Who is my audience?
 What is my message for my audience?
 What medium am I going to use to communicate my message to my
audience?
In the next lesson, you will get to know your audience and be guided on how
to better understand your message.
Lesson No: 2
Lesson Title: Knowing Your Audience and Understanding Your Message
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to answer these questions:
 Who is my audience?
 What is my message for my audience?
Requirement Submission: All requirements for Lesson 1 must be submitted on or
before 25 February 2022.
Lesson Proper:
 Knowing Your Audience
Knowing your audience is key to communicating successfully about scientific

topics. Common target audiences include the lay public, the media, and
policymakers. As you prepare your article, presentation, visuals, etc., keep your
intended audience in mind.

 The Public
The simplest and most useful definition of the public is every person in
society. It is acknowledged that “the public” is a very heterogeneous group; it is as
multifaceted and unpredictable as the individuals that compose it. In fact, at least six
overlapping groups within society (sometimes known as “publics”), each with its own
“needs, interests, attitudes, and levels of knowledge” have been identified for the
purposes of science communication activities and/or research. These are:
 Scientists: in industry, the academic community, and government.
 Mediators: communicators (including science communicators, journalists,

and other members of the media), educators, and opinion-makers.
 Decision-makers: policymakers in government, and scientific and learned

institutions.
 General public: the three groups above, plus other sectors and interest
groups. For example, school children and charity workers.
 Attentive public: the part of the general community already interested in (and
reasonably well-informed about) science and scientific activities.”
 Interested public: is composed of people who are interested in but not

necessarily well informed about science and technology.
Two other terms are also commonly used:
 The “lay public” identifies people, including other scientists, who are non-
expert in a particular field.
 The “science community” or “science practitioners” are people who are

directly involved in some aspect of the practice of science.

Together these groups form “the public,” and the public together with its
customs, norms, and social interactions constitute a society.
 Participants
Participants are not the same as stakeholders (people with a vested interest in a
particular outcome) or clients (persons paying for a service), although they may also
be these. In the context of this paper, participants are members of the public who are
directly or indirectly involved in science communication.
Examples of direct involvement include visiting a science center, attending

science theatre, or writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper on a science-related
matter. The venue, sponsor, and promoter of a science communication event may
be classified as indirect participants (but may still have a large impact on the
success, or otherwise, of the actual event).
Participants are individuals who belong to the general public and may
therefore specifically include scientists, science communicators, businesses, and
members of the media.
To accommodate these differences, use the following techniques:
 Use analogies and visuals: How you use analogies and visuals should also
fit your target demographic.
 Respect your audience’s prior knowledge (be mindful of “talking down”): A

farmer with years of experience and knowledge in farming will likely question
you or be analytical if you want to communicate new farming technologies to
them. Always be open to discussion and questioning. Communication,
especially science communication, is a process and your audience might not
accept what you are trying to communicate to them immediately.
 Address the question “so what?” early on to keep your audience

interested: Communicating science to the public can be challenging at times
and it’s necessary to keep them engaged and interested in your topic. From
an audience’s perspective, you ask yourself “Why should I know about this?
What’s it to me?” This leads us now to the next topic which is understanding
your message.

 Understanding Your Message
Effective communication requires an in-depth look at what we are
trying to communicate and how people make sense of the information.
So, how do we do this?
1. Go to the source. When writing or producing communication materials
related to a certain topic you should read the primary source of that topic or
talk to the researchers themselves. You may interview the researchers about
their researches. You can also, if they are willing, have your collected data
reviewed and fact checked.
2. Cross-check data and information. Verify your gathered information using
alternative sources like other scientific articles about the topic, what other
experts say about the topic.
3. Framing. Once you have had enough data and information in your hands,
how will you organize and present it? Framing allow us to quickly make sense

of the information we are receiving, so we can readily process new
information.
As a science communicator, you want to frame your message in terms
that are accessible, relatable, and meaningful for your specific audience.
When developing your message, think about how your audience approaches
the issue and topic. People think about an issue based on the aspects of the
issue that resonate with their values. For example, you can communicate
topics related to climate change to fisherfolks by relating the topic to their
fishing practices. Frames signal what counts, what can be ignored, and allow
us to ‘fill in’ or infer missing information.
Lessons Activity:
Please refer to the Google Classroom for the activities and quiz. Submit your
answers on or before 25 February 2022.
References/Sources:
• Burns, T. W., O’Connor, D. J., & Stocklmayer, S. M. (2003). Science

Communication: A Contemporary Definition. Public Understanding of
Science, 12(2), 183–202. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625030122004
• Cormick, C. (2019). The science of communicating science: The ultimate
guide. CSIRO PUBLISHING.
• Fischhoff, B. (2019). Evaluating science communication. Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, 116(16), 7670-7675.
• J. E. Thomas et al., Communicating Science Effectively: A Practical
Handbook for Integrating Visuals (IWA Publishing, 2006), 7.
• Jucan, M. S., & Jucan, C. N. (2014). The power of science communication.
Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 149, 461-466.
• Kahlor, L., & Stout, P. A. (Eds.). (2010). Communicating science.
Routledge.

• Kirkman, J. (2012). Good style: writing for science and technology.

Routledge.
• Laszlo, P. (2006). Communicating science: A practical guide. Berlin,
Germany: Springer.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017).
Communicating science effectively: A research agenda. National
Academies Press.
• Russell, N. (2009). Communicating science: Professional, popular, literary.
Cambridge University Press.
• Thomas, J., Jones, A., Saxby, T., Carruthers, T., Abal, E., & Dennison, W.
(2006). Communicating science effectively. IWA Publishing.
• T. W. Burns, D. J. O'Connor, and S. M. Stocklmayer, “Science
Communication: A Contemporary Definition," Public Understanding of
Science April 2003 12: 184, doi:10.1177/09636625030122004
PROGRAM OBJECTVES
The program aims to develop communication professionals
equipped with the knowledge and skills needed in teaching,
managing and implementing communication programs for
development.
COLLEGE OBJECTIVES
The College of Criminal Justice and Sciences (CCJS) aims to
produce highly-skilled, proficient, and competent graduates
imbued with values and desirable characters, particularly in
the areas of agriculture, environmental science, criminology,

development communication, community development, and

guidance and counseling.

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Communicating Science for Development

INSTITUTIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOMES

Module 1 – The Science of Science Communication 1

Lesson 1. What is Science Communication? 2

Communicating Science for Development (DevCom Elec 3) is one of the

Join the class in Google Classroom, class code: bva37td

PRECIOUS JOYCE D. OGDOC

Course Code: DevCom Elec 3

As explained above, DevCom Elec 3 explores the importance of science

Module Learning Date of

4-6 Module 2: Models of Science

Requirement/Assessment Task Percentage

PURPOSE OF THE MODULE

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 1 of 23

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 2 of 23

Lesson Title: What is Science Communication?

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

 Define what is Science Communication

 Understand the importance of communicating science for development.

Requirement Submission: All requirements for Lesson 1 must be submitted on or

before 11 February 2022.

 What is Science Communication?

experts, become aware and understand? This is where Science Communication

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 3 of 23

Science communication (SciComm) refers to the practice of communicating

science-related topics to non-experts, usually in the fields of science, technology,

engineering, and math (STEM). Non-scientists and everyday citizens need to be

current issues with a big impact on our lives.

Science communication audiences should not require any prior interest or

educational background in STEM. There is no limit to how to communicate science

or who to communicate science to. It is a growing field that is multidisciplinary in

complicated knowledge base.

Before we dive more into science communication, we should first understand

what development should be. Human development, as we have it today, is often

such as financial growth, economic progress, infrastructure building, and so on and

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 4 of 23

ensure human happiness. Development is more about a positive change in a

certain point in time.

attributed to sustainable development. According to the Brundtland Report released

by the United Nations in 1987, “Sustainable development is development that meets

toward a more sustainable future.

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 5 of 23

political conflicts, terrorism, and civil disobedience.”

Interestingly enough, science communication can play a very important role in

contributions has been in the field of communication. Communication has advanced

the usage of giga-bandwidth and eloquent capabilities of scientists to explain

complex concepts with absolute ease to the common man.”

Effective science communication can go a long way in bringing people closer

to science and to a more sustainable future. While science communication should be

done by the scientists themselves, it is also our role as development communicators

The Importance of Communicating Science Correctly

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 6 of 23

be worried about, right? Are smartphones making us STUPID? Really?

results reported herein should be considered preliminary” in explaining the limitations

word “linked” suggests causality and ought to be tweaked to “Reliance on

smartphones is associated with lazy thinking,” or something similar.

interpreted? One word could create misunderstandings and miscommunications.

It is crucial that we, as development communicators, become better science

journalists. Science communicators need to be responsible for making sure they

DevCom Elec 3: Communicating Science for Development Page 7 of 23

as possible that might persist despite all of our best efforts.

Above all, science communicators must respect the Cs of communication to