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GEL-1.02: Demonstrate college-level communication through the composition of original materials in Standard English.
Science in the Media
There is nothing like reading a good book or watching a great movie for a little escapism and entertainment. With all of the television channels available and easy access to the internet, you can watch just about anything you want at any time. Earlier in the course you discussed the science involved with technology, but in this Assessment, you will turn the tables and delve into how the media portrays science.
How does a pop culture portrayal of science and scientists impact the average person’s view of what science is and how research is conducted? Can what is presented by the media affect how the general public views a particular research field? What might the long-term impacts of such a depiction be? These are just a few questions that you will reflect upon in this Assessment.
You are expected to use outside resources for this essay. The PG Library has created a library resource with references for you to use to start this assessment. You are also welcome to utilize the textbook and other credible sources that you find.
For this assessment, you will complete an APA style reflective essay to address the following questions:
When you hear the word “scientist” what do you envision?
Discuss at least three characteristics of your vision of a scientist.
Which famous people or characters from the media come into your mind? Include at least two examples.
What characteristics do they have in common?
Has your image of what a scientist does and how they look changed over time? If so, how has this changed and what influenced you? If your vision of a scientist has not changed, why do you think that is the case?
Are fictional scientists usually portrayed as the heroes, villains, or a combination of the two? Provide at least two detailed examples from fictional media to support your position.
How is science portrayed in fictional media (i.e., television shows, movies, music, books, etc.)? Is it seen as a positive, negative, or neutral force in the world? Give specific examples from fictional media supporting your position.
Do you think the portrayal of scientists in the various forms of media influences how society views people in this profession? Why, or why not? Discuss and include references to support your position.
Can the portrayal of science in media influence how certain research and technology is viewed and accepted by the general public (e.g., cloning)?
Minimum Submission Requirements
Proper notification of any resubmission, repurposing, or reworking of prior work per the Purdue Global Student Coursework Resubmission, Repurposing, and Reworking Policy Resource.
This assessment should be a minimum 1000-word Microsoft Word document, in addition to the title and reference pages.
Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your submission should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
Your submission should have no evidence of plagiarism. Paraphrase information taken from references.
Your submission must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
A separate page at the end of your submission should contain a list of references in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
Be sure to include references for all sources and cite them using in-text citations where appropriate. Your sources and content should follow current APA citation style. Review the writing resources for APA formatting and citation found in Academic Tools. Additional writing resources can be found within the Academic Success Center.
Your submission should:
include a title page;
include paragraphs of introduction and conclusion;
be double-spaced;
be typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font; and
be free of spelling or punctuation errors.