We recognize and acknowledge that McMaster University meets and learns on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and

Haudenosaunee nations, and

within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum, an agreement amongst all allied Nations to peaceably share and care for the resources
around the Great Lakes.

SCICOMM 2A03: Foundations in Science Communication

Winter 2024
Instructor: Katie Moisse | E-mail: [email protected]

Head TA: Adina Silver | E-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours: Virtual office hours will be announced at the start of term.

Course Description
In this course, we will learn and practice the basics of effective written, visual and oral science
communication. We’ll create written summaries and blogs, graphics and data visualizations, short talks
and social media posts on a range of scientific topics. We’ll also engage with and contribute to the
growing field of science communication research.
Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level II or above
Antirequisite(s): ISCI 1A24 A/B; not open to students with credit in LIFESCI 2AA3

Course and Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
1. Critically evaluate scientific papers and articulate the most salient information using accessible
language.
2. Communicate scientific concepts and data in different formats for different audiences and
purposes.
3. Critically analyze examples of science communication in the context of misinformation and
politicization of science.
4. Read, apply, and contribute to the scholarship of science communication.
5. Describe alternative careers in science, including careers in science communication.

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 6. Develop career-relevant translational skills, including teamwork and time management skills.

Class Activities:
Students are encouraged to attend lectures in person. Lectures will also be livestreamed to provide
flexibility and lecture recordings will be available on Echo360. Students are expected to attend tutorials
in person to collaborate on the group project. More information about class and tutorial activities will be
available on Avenue to Learn.

Materials & Fees

Required Materials/ Resources
There is no textbook for this course. All required readings and viewings will be made available on
Echo360 or Avenue to Learn.

Course Overview and Assessment (official schedule and due dates on Avenue)
Week Topic Due Dates and Assessments
1 • Welcome
• What we know and how we know it
2 • Accessible vs. accessible
• Accessible abstracts
3 • Research project overview • Accessible abstract practice (Optional
• Research project discussion 5% toward your accessible abstract)
4 • Audience and purpose • Group data collection and plan (5%)
• Inclusive sci comm
5 • Misinformation • Accessible abstract (25%)
• Disinformation
6 • Data visualization
• Blog and data viz discussion
7 • Research project check-in • Blog outline (Optional 5% toward

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 your blog and data viz)
8 • Scams and skepticism
• Science on social media
9 • Knowledge translation • Group research manuscript (15%)
• KT proposal presentation
expectations
10 • Case studies • Blog and data viz (25%)
11 • Special topics in sci comm • Knowledge translation proposal
presentation (15%)
• KT presentation peer review and
reflection (Optional 5% toward your
group project)
12 • Alumni panel • End-of-term reflection (Optional 5%
toward your participation grade)

Evaluation (subject to change)

This course has a flexible assessment structure, with some mandatory assessments and several optional
ones that can decrease the weight of mandatory assessments. The optional assessments provide
opportunities for iterative feedback and reflection, but students are welcome to skip them.

Mandatory assessments:
Assessment Weight
1. Accessible abstract 25%
2. Blog and data viz 25%
3. Group research project (data collection, manuscript, 35%
knowledge translation proposal presentation)
4. Participation 15%

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Optional assessments:
Assessment Weight
1. Accessible abstract practice (reduces weight of 5%
accessible abstract)
2. Blog outline (reduces weight of blog and data viz) 5%
3. Group project peer review and reflection (reduces 5%
weight of group project)
4. End-of-term reflection (reduces weight of tutorial 5%
participation)

Checking Your Grades

I will post your grades to Avenue to Learn. It’s your responsibility to check that all grades entered are
entered properly. Please notify the instructional team promptly about any errors or missing grades.

Regrade Policy
If you dispute a grade, please contact our Head TA within one week to request a regrade. They will give
you instructions on how to proceed. Please be aware that your mark could go up or down.

Participation
Participation is worth 15% of your grade. I measure participation in three ways:
 Your Echo360 score is worth 5% of your grade. Half of this score comes from your synchronous
class attendance (either in-person or virtually over the live stream). The other half comes from
your participation in interactive slides during class and in preparation for each week.
 Tutorial participation is worth 5% of your grade. Your tutorial participation score comes from
your tutorial attendance and contributions to activities and discussion.
 Group project participation is worth 5% of your grade. Your group project participation score
comes from your group members’ assessments of your contributions to the group project, based
on a plan you set together at the start of term.

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Requests for Relief for Missed Academic Term Work
McMaster Student Absence Form (MSAF): In the event of an absence for medical or other reasons,
students should review and follow the Academic Regulation in the Undergraduate Calendar “Requests
for Relief for Missed Academic Term Work”.

Policy Regarding Missed and Late Work

Requests for missed academic work worth less than 25% of the final grade resulting from personal or
medical situations, lasting up to 3 calendar days, can be reported, once per term, without
documentation, using the McMaster Student Absence Form (MSAF). A self-report MSAF will result in a 3-
day extension. We will not accept self-report MSAFs for optional assignments, group projects, or
assignments with a grace period. The penalty for work submitted late is 10% per day past the due date.
There is no late penalty for work submitted during a grace period. Relief for missed work for a longer
duration or for other reasons must be reported to your Faculty office, and relief from term work may not
necessarily be granted. If approved, an admin-type MSAF will result in a 7-day extension. When using the
MSAF, report your absence to the Head TA. You must then contact the Head TA immediately (normally
within 2 working days) by email.

Please direct MSAFs to our Head TA. The Head TA will indicate what relief may be granted for the work
you have missed, and relevant details such as revised deadlines, or time and location of a make-up
exam/quiz/test. Please note that the MSAF may not be used for final deliverables, nor can it be used for
a final examination or its equivalent. Please review and follow the Academic Regulation in the
Undergraduate Calendar under “Requests for Relief for Missed Academic Term Work” here .

Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who require academic accommodation must contact Student Accessibility
Services (SAS) at 905-525-9140 ext. 28652 or [email protected] to make arrangements with a Program
Coordinator. For further information, consult McMaster University’s Academic Accommodation of
Students with Disabilities policy. Students with accommodations for extra time on assignments will see
these accommodations reflected as grace periods on Avenue.

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Academic Accommodation for Religious, Indigenous or Spiritual Observances (RISO)
Students requiring academic accommodation based on religious, indigenous or spiritual observances
should follow the procedures set out in the RISO policy. Students should submit their request to their
Faculty Office normally within 10 working days of the beginning of term in which they anticipate a need
for accommodation or to the Registrar's Office prior to their examinations. Students should also contact
their instructors as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements for classes, assignments, and
tests.

Courses with an Online Element

In this course, we will be using Avenue to Learn, Echo360, Turnitin.com and multimedia tools. Students
should be aware that, when they access the electronic components of a course using these elements,
private information such as first and last names, usernames for the McMaster e-mail accounts, and
program affiliation may become apparent to all other students in the same course. The available
information is dependent on the technology used. Continuation in a course that uses on-line elements
will be deemed consent to this disclosure. If you have any questions or concerns about such disclosure,
please discuss this with the course instructor.

Academic Integrity
You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the learning process.
Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity.
It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned
academic credit or advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero
on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned
for academic dishonesty”), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. For information on the
various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located here.

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

• plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has been
obtained.

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 • improper collaboration in group work.
• copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

Authenticity / Plagiarism Detection

This course will use a web-based service (Turnitin.com) to reveal authenticity and ownership of student
submitted work. For courses using such software, students will be expected to submit their work
electronically either directly to Turnitin.com or via an online learning platform (e.g. A2L, etc.) using
plagiarism detection (a service supported by Turnitin.com) so it can be checked for academic dishonesty.
Students who do not wish their work to be submitted through the plagiarism detection software must
inform the Instructor before the assignment is due. No penalty will be assigned to a student who does
not submit work to the plagiarism detection software. All submitted work is subject to normal
verification that standards of academic integrity have been upheld (e.g., on-line search, other software,
etc.). For more details about McMaster’s use of Turnitin.com please go to the office of Academic
Integrity website.
Students may use generative AI in this course in accordance with the guidelines outlined for each
assessment, and so long as the use of generative AI is referenced and cited following citation instructions
given in the assignment guidelines. Use of generative AI outside assessment guidelines or without
citation will constitute academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to be clear on the
limitations for use for each assessment and to be clear on the expectations for citation and reference
and to do so appropriately. Students are responsible for the accuracy of their work, even when citing
appropriately. Students may be asked to discuss aspects of their work, such as their knowledge of a
concept or study, during weekly tutorials. This is not a formal assessment but rather an opportunity for
students to practice oral science communication in an informal setting.

Conduct Expectations
As a McMaster student, you have the right to experience, and the responsibility to demonstrate,
respectful and dignified interactions within all our living, learning and working communities. These
expectations are described in the Code of Student Rights & Responsibilities (the “Code”). All students

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share the responsibility of maintaining a positive environment for the academic and personal growth of
all McMaster community members, whether in person or online.

It is essential that students be mindful of their interactions online, as the Code remains in effect in virtual
learning environments. The Code applies to any interactions that adversely affect, disrupt, or interfere
with reasonable participation in University activities. Student disruptions or behaviours that interfere
with university functions on online platforms (e.g. use of Avenue 2 Learn, WebEx or Zoom for delivery),
will be taken very seriously and will be investigated. Outcomes may include restriction or removal of the
involved students’ access to these platforms.

Senate Student Policies

Students can view full policies here on the University Secretariat website. Senate Policy Statements are
also available from the Senate Secretariat Office, Room 104, and Gilmour Hall.

Student Code of Conduct

You acknowledge that your behavior in all aspects of this course should meet the standards of the
McMaster University Student Code of Conduct. You understand that any inappropriate behavior directed
against any of your colleagues, teaching assistants, or the instructional team will not be tolerated.
Disruptive behavior during any session (e.g. lecture, seminar, lab, tutorial) such as talking, sleeping or
non-class computing while an individual presents information, or constantly being late, will also not be
tolerated. Abuse, ridicule, slander, inappropriate language, and discrimination towards instructors
teaching staff, teaching assistants and other students will not be tolerated in any capacity. Shared spaces
including e-spaces such as the Avenue to Learn course discussion board are to be considered inclusive
and safe. For more information, please follow this link.

Electronic Communication
You may contact the instructional team via email or Microsoft Teams. We will do our best to respond
promptly to emails. If we do not respond the same day, please reach out again.

Inclusivity and Academic Integrity

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The University values integrity, inclusiveness and teamwork, and strives to support the personal and
collective growth of the McMaster student community. These values are foundational to ensuring
campus environments – both in-person and virtual – are conducive to personal wellbeing and academic
success.

Inclusive Learning
McMaster University aims to foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment that encourages
both individual and collective growth. Students are invited to speak with the Instructor immediately if
they encounter any challenges related to accessing or using the technological requirements expected for
successful participation in this course.

Copyright and Recording

Students are advised that lectures, demonstrations, performances, and any other course material
provided by an instructor include copyright protected works. The Copyright Act and copyright law
protect every original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including lectures by University
instructors.
The recording of lectures, tutorials, or other methods of instruction may occur during a course.
Recording may be done by either the instructor for the purpose of authorized distribution, or by a
student for the purpose of personal study. Students should be aware that their voice and/or image may
be recorded by others during the class. Please speak with the instructor if this is a concern for you.

Additional Copyright Information

In this course students will have access to material that is subject to copyright laws. This includes (but is
not limited to) textbooks and all resources developed by the Instructor such as lab manuals,
demonstration videos, quizzes, assignments, tests, class notes and class slides.
Students are not allowed to share or redistribute this material in any printed or electronic form without
the explicit written consent of the copyright holder. This includes posting any course material on Internet
bulletin boards, course repositories, social networks, etc.

Extreme Circumstances

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The University reserves the right to change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme
circumstances (e.g., severe weather, labour disruptions, etc.). Changes will be communicated through
regular McMaster communication channels, such as McMaster Daily News, A2L and/or McMaster email.

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