Science Communication (SCIE90012)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Why is it essential that scientists learn to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences? What makes for engaging communication when it comes to science? How does the style of communication need to change for different audiences? What are the nuts and bolts of good science writing? What are the characteristics of effective public speaking?
Weekly seminars and tutorials will consider the important role science and technology plays in twenty-first century society and explore why it is vital that scientists learn to articulate their ideas to a variety of audiences in an effective and engaging manner. These audiences may include school students, agencies that fund research, the media, government, industry, and the broader public. Other topics include the philosophy of science communication, talking about science on the radio, effective public speaking, writing press releases and science feature articles, science performance, communicating science on the web and how science is reported in the media.
Students will develop skills in evaluating examples of science and technology communication to identify those that are most effective and engaging. Students will also be given multiple opportunities to receive feedback and improve their own written and oral communication skills.
Students will work in small teams on team projects to further the communication skills developed during the seminar programme. These projects will focus on communicating a given scientific topic to a particular audience using spoken, visual, written or web-based communication.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Articulate the range of purposes of communicating about science
- Identify the common features of effective communication in written, oral and other forms of communication
- Understand the nature of different audiences for scientific information
- Communicate science effectively to different audiences, using a variety of different techniques and media
- Provide constructive feedback to other students on their communication skills (both written and oral)
Generic skills
On the completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Communicate effectively in both written and oral forms
- Demonstrate awareness of and ability to use appropriate communication technology
- Provide constructive feedback on other students’ work
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team on a major project
- Plan work, use time effectively and manage a project
- Reflect on their own communication skills
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MULT20011 | Science Communication and Employability | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
One written assignment "Writing for different audiences" (1500 words, plus 500 words of peer review). Initial submission for peer review will occur in week 4, final submission in week 8
| From Week 4 to Week 8 | 20% |
Individual oral presentation
| Week 7 | 10% |
Online science blog (minimum of 2000 words): Students must post to the blog at least once a fortnight during semester and also respond to the posts of other students
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Written project proposal for group project | Week 5 | 10% |
Group project (approximately 60 hours of contribution to group work). The product of the projects will be project-specific. However each group will give a 10-minute oral presentation in the last week of semester.
| During the teaching period | 40% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Coordinator Graham Phillips Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 (one 2-hour seminar plus one 1-hour tutorial per week) Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 7 July 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
An enrolment quota of 70 students applies to this subject.
For detailed information on the quota subject application process, enrolment deadlines and selection preferences, refer to the Faculty of Science website: http://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/course-planning-and-advice
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Quota limit applied - UoM students will be given preference over CAP applicants
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 3 November 2022