Transmission of Scientific Concepts Through Journalistic Writing

1
Transmission of Scientific Concepts Through
Journalistic Writing

• Alison Dietz, Department of Physics
• Advisors
• Glenn Starkman and Lawrence Krauss, Department of
  Physics

2
Writing about science for the general public

• Alison Dietz, Department of Physics
• Advisors
• Glenn Starkman and Lawrence Krauss, Department of
  Physics

3
Scientist vs. reader

• Expertise
• Specificity
• Understanding
• Jargon

4
Science Journalist

• Working knowledge
• Conceptualization
• Engage the reader
• Big picture

5
Writing Process

• Background research
• papers, journal articles
• Selection of interviewees
• finding the experts
• Preparation of questions
• story angle

6
Writing Process

• Interviewing
• facts and quotes
• Lab/office visits
• see where the science happens

7
Writing Process

• First draft
• creation of narrative
• Review
• clarification
• Submission
• appeal to audience

8
Theorist article

• Interviewed Petschek, Lambrecht
• Rosenblatt, Kash
• Science aspect
• submitted

9
Interdisciplinary article

• Spoke with Mathur, Jones-Smith
• Landau (art history)
• Journal articles
• Art world
• submitted

10
Science-y words

• The painting is divided into squares of length L
  on each side. Each square either contains paint
  or is blank the number of squares containing
  paint is called N. This number N is determined
  for L-values ranging from 1mm (the width of the
  finest lines in a painting) to the size of the
  entire painting, around 2.5m.

11
Art-y words

• Landau identified within the paintings various
  gestures, or movements of the artist's brush,
  that were in concordance with gestures found in
  other pieces by Pollock. These include the
  rotation of the canvas during the drip process
  and retouching of certain lines to have them lie
  on top, rather than below, others.

12
Dark Matter article

• Spoke with Shutt, Akerib
• Focus on how projects are run
• How groups work together

13
Significance

• Wider reach for science
• Increase understanding, interest