The Harder Side of Science Communication Course

Lesson 1 • Why Communication Breaks Down

Map the structural causes of failed science communication, from jargon to trust deficits. Understanding root causes enables targeted intervention strategies.

Lesson 2 • The Communicator's Posture and Bias

Examine how a communicator's own assumptions distort message design. Self-awareness here reduces systematic errors in framing and tone.

Lesson 3 • What Science Communication Actually Is

Distinguish science communication from science education, PR, and journalism. This baseline prevents misdiagnosis of communication problems throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Types and Sources of Scientific Uncertainty

Classify uncertainty by origin—measurement, model, and deep uncertainty—and explain why each demands a different communication approach.

Lesson 2 • Translating Probability for Non-Experts

Convert statistical outputs into language that preserves meaning without false precision. Builds directly on audience modeling from Chapter 1.

Lesson 3 • Confidence Intervals and Scientific Consensus

Explain how to represent scientific agreement and disagreement honestly without implying false certainty or false controversy.

Lesson 4 • Uncertainty in Policy and Decision Contexts

Adapt uncertainty communication for decision-makers who must act despite incomplete evidence. Connects probabilistic language to practical action thresholds.

Lesson 1 • Representation and Equity in Communication

Examine how science communication can reinforce or challenge systemic inequities, and apply equity principles to message design and audience engagement.

Lesson 2 • Core Ethical Principles for Communicators

Establish the foundational ethical obligations of science communicators, including accuracy, transparency, and respect for audience autonomy.

Lesson 3 • Conflicts of Interest and Funding Transparency

Identify and disclose conflicts of interest that compromise communicator credibility, and design disclosure practices that preserve audience trust.

Lesson 4 • Advocacy, Activism, and the Science Communicator

Navigate the boundary between evidence-based advocacy and activism, clarifying when and how communicators can take positions without compromising scientific credibility.

Lesson 1 • Mapping the Controversy Landscape

Distinguish empirical disputes from value disputes and identify where each type requires a different communication strategy.

Lesson 2 • Handling Internal Scientific Disagreement

Communicate honestly when scientists themselves disagree, preserving credibility while avoiding the appearance of chaos or incompetence.

Lesson 3 • Engaging Hostile or Skeptical Audiences

Deploy evidence-based engagement techniques for audiences predisposed to reject scientific findings, building on motivated reasoning concepts from Chapter 1.

Lesson 4 • Communicating Across Value Divides

Apply values-based audience mapping from Chapter 1 to craft messages that resonate across ideological lines without compromising scientific accuracy.

Lesson 1 • The Fact-Check Trap and Its Alternatives

Evaluate the limits of direct fact-checking and introduce more effective correction strategies grounded in cognitive science.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of Scientific Misinformation

Deconstruct how false scientific claims are constructed, spread, and sustained. This structural understanding is the prerequisite for effective counter-messaging.

Lesson 3 • Institutional Response Protocols

Build organizational workflows for detecting and responding to misinformation at scale, connecting individual tactics to institutional capacity.

Lesson 4 • Platform-Specific Misinformation Dynamics

Analyze how different media environments amplify or suppress false claims and adapt counter-messaging accordingly.

Lesson 1 • Oral Briefings and Testimony

Deliver credible, concise oral evidence to committees, executives, and advisory panels under time pressure and adversarial questioning.

Lesson 2 • Navigating Political Pressure on Science

Identify and respond to attempts to suppress, distort, or selectively use scientific findings in policy contexts, maintaining integrity under institutional pressure.

Lesson 3 • How Policymakers Use Evidence

Map the actual decision-making processes of policymakers and identify where scientific evidence enters, is ignored, or is misused.

Lesson 4 • Building Long-Term Policymaker Relationships

Develop sustained advisory relationships that increase evidence uptake over time, moving beyond one-off briefings to embedded scientific influence.

Lesson 1 • Media Management During Crises

Control the information environment during a crisis by managing media relationships, press conferences, and real-time corrections.

Lesson 2 • Communicating Under Evolving Evidence

Manage public trust when official guidance must change as new evidence emerges, applying uncertainty communication skills from Chapter 2 to high-pressure contexts.

Lesson 3 • Crisis Communication Fundamentals

Establish the core principles that distinguish crisis communication from routine science communication, including speed, uncertainty, and public emotion.

Lesson 4 • Post-Crisis Communication and Recovery

Rebuild public trust and correct residual misinformation after a crisis, using lessons from the event to strengthen future communication capacity.

Lesson 1 • Evaluation, Learning, and Iteration

Conduct rigorous post-campaign evaluation to extract actionable insights and build institutional communication capacity over time.

Lesson 2 • Channel Selection and Media Mix

Match communication channels to audience segments and campaign goals, optimizing reach and engagement across earned, owned, and paid media.

Lesson 3 • Defining Goals and Success Metrics

Translate organizational communication objectives into measurable outcomes, distinguishing between awareness, attitude, and behavior change goals.

Lesson 4 • Campaign Execution and Adaptation

Manage live campaign execution, monitor real-time performance, and adapt strategy in response to audience feedback and emerging events.