This week, graduate students in my course are learning how to write about science for the non-expert public.
For those of you who do this professionally, what tips would you offer?
Assume every adult has an 8th grade level understanding of everything.
I worked at three different science museums after undergrad and it’s amazing how little high school science sticks. They might have a vague recollection of some of the words from high school, but not a solid understanding.
I'm always a medical oddity. 2 rare cancers. My blood type has a rare subtype so the tests show me as + or - depending on the test, etc. If I could never hear I've never seen this before... So I started reading medical journals. Had to learn, but I've learned self taught is unusual too.
Had a locally aggressive tumor on the arch of my foot. Surgeon the insurance Co paired me with had no experience. Wanted to just cut it off. I said it needed a wide excision w/clear margins. He went to do research & agreed. Not sure I'd get that now.
