The one I give students when I teach them is: Never underestimate intelligence. ALWAYS underestimate vocabulary.
People can and do want to learn about super complex topics, we just need to not lose them on the way!
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?
This is one thing that has dismayed me, among all the other dismaying things, in recent years. WHile the govt have utterly failed to communicate on Covid, those scientists who've tried have shown themselve to be utterly inept at communicating with the public.
E.g. nosocomial vs Hospital acquired.
Yes.
At the very least we should be insisting that published scientific papers have a summary of findings.
This summary should have an expected reading level of 6th-8th grade, using commonplace vocabulary & definitions.
It would certainly clear up a lot of inaccurate reporting & bad takes.
