A September 2017 report from the Pew Research Center reports that “Most Americans get their science news from general outlets, but many doubt their accuracy.” Based on a survey in May and June, Pew Research found that rather than experts on science—like science centers, museums, and documentaries—people report that their science news comes from the same places that they get their news on politics, current events, and entertainment. The challenge of this finding is that they don’t trust these sources.
So what is a person like you, getting a degree that is based on scientific findings, supposed to do? Respond to today’s post by doing the following:
- Read through the article for details on who survey respondents point to as the source of their skepticism (and there is more than one source to note).
- Write a follow-up that considers the survey findings (do you agree that the general news outlets may not present the whole truth, for instance).
- Conjecture on what a scientist (widely defined) can do to ensure that facts are reported in believable ways.
If a very concrete example would help you for that last point, think about what researchers like Marc Edwards (the Virginia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering professor leading the team that has worked to reveal the problems with Flint, Michigan’s public water system) has had to do (or might do) to ensure that the truth about Flint’s water is reported in the popular media in ways that Americans believe?