| A | B | C | D | E | F | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | # | Date | Day | Topics | Reading Due | Assignments Due | |
2 | 1 | 8/26 | T | Welcome to RHE 309S: Rhetoric of Science Communication - Syllabus, Course Documents, Readings, Science Communication (SciComm) - Shanafelt Writing Guide & Shanafelt Rhetoric Guide - "Allegory of the Cave" by Plato (Slides), (Full-Text) (Lecture) (Video Assignment) | - Syllabus (Online, PDF) | -- | |
3 | 8/28 | Th | - Project 1: Short Article (Introduction) - SciComm: Intro, Publications, Scientific Method, Scientific Claims - Rhetoric: Situation, Audience, Purpose, Appeals, Claims, Evidence, (Slides) - Writing: MLA, APA, Article Submission, Publishers' Guidelines | - Assignment: Project 1: Short Article - Topics: Science Communication, Rhetoric, Situation, Audience, Purpose, Claim, Appeals, Evidence - “A Checklist for Communicating Science and Health Research to the Public” (NIH) | - Allegory of the Cave (Video) (11:59 pm) | ||
4 | 2 | 9/2 | T | - SciComm: Modes, Methods. & Media, Scientific Publications & Platforms - Media Type: Popular Science Article - Writing: Analogical Model, Structure, Format, Requirements, Thesis, Paragraphs - Discussion: Scientific Controversies (project topics) | - Topics: Popular Science Article, Writing Requirements, Analogical Model, Science Controversies - “Cholera-Related Bacterium is Melting Sea Stars” by Erin Berge (Discover) - “This company claimed to ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves.” by Ewen Callaway (Nature) - "Scientists reconstruct the tattoos of a 2,000-year-old Siberian ice mummy" by Annie Roth (National Geographic) | - Explain a Scientific Concept w/ Analogical Model (Video) (11:59 pm) | |
5 | 9/4 | Th | - Media Type: Scientific Op-Ed - Rhetoric: Rhetorical Analysis, Exigence, Context, Modes, Modality - Research: Resources, Source Types, Databases - Controversy: Origin, Evolution, Stakeholders, Psychology - Topics: Finding, Narrowing, Featured Topics (2025) | - Topics: Scientific Op-Ed, Rhetorical Analysis, Exigence, Context, Modes, Modality - "American Education Demands a Fact-Based Curriculum, Not Religious Ideology" Editors (Scientific American) - "Why Nuclear Fusion Won't Solve the Climate Crisis" by Naomi Oreskes (Scientific American) - “Is the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Alien Technology?” by Avi Loeb (Medium) - “No, There’s No Clear Evidence for Water Around 3I/ATLAS” by Avi Loeb (Medium) (CBS) (CNN) | - Choose & Analyze Project 1 Controversy (11:59 pm) | ||
6 | 3 | 9/9 | T | - SciComm: Scientific Writing vs. Popular Science - Visuals: Images, Illustrations & Diagrams, Charts & Graphs, Infographics - Tools: BioRender, Tableau, Mind the Graph, Google Sheets | - Topics: Press Release, Illustrations & Diagrams, Charts & Graphs, Infographics - “Multiple-Transient Events in First Palomar Sky Survey.” by Beatriz Villarroel, et al. (Preprint) (ResearchGate) - “Physicist: Space objects appeared, disappeared years before first satellites” by Ross Coulthart (NewsNation) - “Astronomers Dr. Beatriz Villarroel, Detect More UAP in Orbit!” by The Angry Astronaut (YouTube) | - Scientific Writing vs. Popular Science (9:30 am) | |
7 | 9/11 | Th | - Analysis: Evaluate Scientific Credibility (Ethos) - Rhetoric: Cognitive Biases, Logical Fallacies, Tone, Rhetorical Devices - Discussion: Evaluating Credibility in Science | - Topics: Cognitive Biases, Logical Fallacies, Tone, Rhetorical Devices - "How to Evaluate Trustworthiness in Science" by National Institutes of Health (NIH) - “March Madness From The United Nations” by Henry I. Miller (Forbes) - “Monsanto Caught Ghostwriting Stanford University Hoover Institution Fellow's Published Work” (CBS News) | - Evaluate the Credibility (Ethos) of a Science Communicator (11:59 pm) | ||
8 | 4 | 9/16 | T | - Argument Types: Classical, Rogerian, Toulmin - Rhetoric: Stasis Theory, Counterarguments, Concession & Refutation - Writing: Text Structures, Project 1 Student Examples - Media Types: Illustrations & Diagrams | - Topics: Stasis Theory, Argument, Text Structures, Counterarguments. - "The Stases in Scientific and Literary Argument” by Jeanne Fahnestock & Marie Secor (Sage) - "Types of Argument" - (Pressbooks) | - Complete Debate Topic Poll (11:59 pm) - Evaluate a Scientific Illustration or Diagram (11:59 PM) | |
9 | 9/18 | Th | - In-Class Activity: Science Ethics (Debate) *Complete Debate Topic Poll by 11:59 pm (Tuesday, 9/16) | -- | - Rough Draft (Project 1) (9:30 am) - Peer Review (Project 1) (11:59 pm) | ||
10 | 5 | 9/23 | T | - Project 2: Multimodal Composition (Introduced) - Media Types: Op-Ed Video - Visual Rhetoric: Analyzing Visual & Multimedia Arguments - Tools: BioRender, Mind the Graph, Canva, Visme - Analysis: Art (Definition, Components, Value) | - Assignment: Project 2: Multimodal Composition - Topics: Multimodal Composition, Natural Sciences, Multimodal Analysis - "The missing law of nature, and how we found it" by Robert Hazen (Big Think) - "The Future Is Going To Be Weird AF (The Ultimate AI Core Experience)" - Silvia Dal Dosso - "Why Dungeons and Dragons Is Good for Your Brain" - (Scientific American) | *** Project 1: Short Article (11:59 pm) *** | |
11 | 9/25 | Th | - Media Type: Science Story, Charts & Graphs - Storytelling: Storytelling, Structure, Plot, Characters, Purpose - Writing: Anecdotes: Sensory Details, Active Verbs, Movement, Narrative Structure - Tools: Google Charts, Google Sheets, Google Forms, | - Topics: Science Story, Storytelling - "Storytelling to Communicate Science" by Matthew F. Dahlstrom (National Academy of Sciences) - "Storytelling: The Soul of Science Communication" (JCOM) - "Storytelling in Science Communication" by Jarell Cubarrubia (TEDx Talk) - "99 Years Later... We Solved It" - (Physics Girl) - "The Josephus Problem" - (Numberphile) - "The Unexpected Effects of Nukes in Space" - (SciShow Space) | - Evaluate a Science Story Video (9:30 am) | ||
12 | 6 | 9/30 | T | - Media Types: Science Sketch, Infographic - Visual Rhetoric:, Creation, Sources (Image & Media ) - Tools: Venngage, Genial.ly, - Photography: Elements, Production | - Topic: Science Sketch, Infographic - “Storyboarding for Science Media Success” by Sarah Lee (Number Analytics) - "What Happened Before History? Human Origins" - (Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell) - "Why Are Buffalo Returning to Texas After 136 Years?" - (PBS Terra) | - Analyze an Effetive Science Sketch (11:59 pm) | |
13 | 10/2 | Th | - Media Types: Documentary Video, Poster, Graphical Abstract - Visual Rhetoric: Design, Creation, Sources (Image & Media ) - Tools: Photoshop, Venngage, Genial.ly, - Photography: Elements, Production | - Topics: Documentary Video, Image & Media Sources, Poster, Graphical Abstract - "The Banach–Tarski Paradox"- (Vsauce) - "Why Are 96,000,000 Black Balls on This Reservoir?"- (Veritasium) - "General Relativity Explained in 7 Levels of Difficulty"- (Minutephysics) - "The Central Dogma of Biology" - (Science Sketches) | - Post a Successful Scientific Poster (11:59 pm) | ||
14 | 7 | 10/7 | T | - Media Type: Mini-TED Talk - Rhetorical Analysis: Scientific TED Talks | - Topic: Mini-TED Talk - "What makes a good life?" by Robert Waldinger (TED Talk) - "Stress, Portrait of a Killer" by Robert Sapolsky (National Geographic) - "A Multimodal Analysis of Engagement Strategies in TED Talk Videos (Iberica) | - Post a Persuasive Scientific TED Talk (9:30 am) | |
15 | 10/9 | Th | - Production: Audio & Video Editing, Shots & Footage, Graphics, Green Screen - Examples: Vyond Animation, Peepocalypse Rising | - Topic: Audio & Video Editing - "Video & Audio Editing" (Lecture) | - Research & explain a foundational scientific text (11:59 pm) | ||
16 | 8 | 10/14 | T | - In-Class Activity (Secret!) *Attendance Required! | -- | - In-Class Activity (Secret!) *Attendance Required! | |
17 | 10/16 | Th | - Project 3: Long Article (Introduced) - Media Type: Feature Article | - Assignment: Project 3: Long Article - “Physicists Disagree Wildly on What Quantum Mechanics Says about Reality" by Gibney, Elizabeth (Nature) - “JWST Spots Possible Alien Planet at Alpha Centauri” by Bartels, Meghan (Scientific American) | *** Project 2: Multimodal Composition (11:59 pm) *** | ||
18 | 9 | 10/21 | T | - Media Type: Position Paper - Topics: Speculative, Contested, Anomalistic, & Pseudoscience Topics - Rhetoric: Supporting Controversial Scientific Claims - Discussion: Be ready to discuss your supportive argument in class. | - Topic: Position Paper - “Position: Explainable AI for Scientific Discovery” by Daniel Busbridge et al. (arXiv) - “Human gene editing: position paper” (World Health Organization) - "From gravity to gender, scientific truth stands above human feelings and politics" by Richard Dawkins (New York Post) - "GMOs Are an Ally in a Changing Climate" by Emma Marris (Wired) | - Support a Controversial Scientific Claim (9:30 am) | |
19 | 10/23 | Th | - In-Class Activity: Built by Words: Foxhole Radio | - "How Radio Works" by Marshall Brain & Talon Homer (How Stuff Works) | - Explain 3 Possible Approaches to Project 3 (11:59 pm) | ||
20 | 10 | 10/28 | T | Topics: Speculative, Contested, Anomalistic, & Pseudoscience Topics Rhetoric: Refuting Controversial Scientific Claims Discussion: Be ready to discuss your refutation argument in class. | - Topics: Speculative, Contested, Anomalistic, & Pseudoscience - "Controversial Quantum-Computing Paper Gets a Hefty Correction" by Dan Garisto & Nature (Scientific American) - "Fact Check: Study does not show autism can be ‘reversed’, experts say" by Reuters Fact Check (Reuters) - "Genie in a Bottle: The Case Against Cold Fusion" by Emma Marris (Wired) | - Refute a Controversial Scientific Claim (9:30 am) | |
21 | 10/30 | Th | - In-Class Activity: Roundtable Discussion (Science Ethics) | - "Don’t edit the human germ line" by Edward Lanphier, et al. (Nature) - "The Case Against the Militarization of AI" by Jennifer Ouellette (Scientific American) | - What are you worried about? (Science Ethics Concerns) (9:30 am) | ||
22 | 11 | 11/4 | T | - Media Types: Data Dashboard, Scrollytelling - SciComm: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, CodePen | - Topics: Data Dashboard, Scrollytelling | -- | |
23 | 11/6 | Th | - Project 3 Peer Review (In-Class) *Attendance required! (Bring device & P3 rough draft) | -- | - Rough Draft of Project 3 (9:30 am) - Project 3 Peer Review (11:59 pm) | ||
24 | 12 | 11/11 | T | - Project 4: Professional Portfolio (Introduced) - Media Types: Portfolio (Summary, Details), Graphical Resume - Tools: Enhancv, Novoresume, Venngage, Kickresume, Canva, Behance | - Assignment: Project 4: Professional Portfolio - Topic: Professional Portfolio, Resume - "Resumes" - CNS Career Services (UT Austin) | *** Project 3: Long Article (11:59 pm) *** | |
25 | 11/13 | Th | - Media Types: Cover, Statement, Work Samples, References, Recommendations | - "Changing the Way People Create Resumes" by Joypepper - "Scientist Cover Letter Example and Template" (Indeed) - "Writing a Winning Cover Letter" by John K. Borchardt (Science) - "Personal Statements & Statements of Purpose" - CNS Career Services (UT Austin) | - Post an Aesthetically Compelling Resume Template (9:30 am) | ||
26 | 13 | 11/18 | T | - Platforms: Google Sites, Google Drive, Adobe Portfolio, Behance - Networking: ResearchGate, LinkedIn, Academia.edu - Website Builders: Google Sites, WordPress, Adobe Portfolio, Wix | -- | -- | |
27 | 11/20 | Th | - Catch-Up & Flex Day (Reflections, Questions, & Loose Ends) | -- | - Extra Credit: Course Evaluation (Nov 20-22) | ||
28 | 14 | 11/25 | T | - No Class! (Fall Break) | -- | -- | |
29 | 11/27 | Th | - No Class! (Fall Break) | -- | -- | ||
30 | 15 | 12/2 | T | - Optional Office Meetings | - Schedule Appointment (optional) | -- | |
31 | 12/4 | Th | - Closing Remarks (Professor Shanafelt) *Attendance Required!* | -- | *** Project 4: Professional Portfolio (11:59 pm) *** |