PSY-10038 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

What use is psychological science if people don't trust or benefit from its findings? The relatively new field of science communication recognises the importance of HOW communication is designed and structured in order to facilitate maximum public engagement. While you might never have heard of science communication, you almost certainly have engaged with its output. From David Attenborough documentaries to Ted Talks, science communication is now mainstream. This module is organised into themed weeks, such as: Finding your voice week (practicing), Dragon¿s Den week (pitching), Movie week (long format) and It¿s all about you week (employability). The module will teach you techniques for designing engaging science communications suitable for non-specialist audiences, will provide the opportunity for you to demonstrate using these techniques to produce fascinating and compelling psychological science communications, and will make you aware of your communication skills strengths while identifying areas for further development.

This module aims to develop your ability to communicate psychological scientific content to non-specialist audiences. You will be introduced to a variety of communication techniques, such as pitching, arouse and fulfil, and story structures, and will develop your range of communication skills. The module aims to support you in understanding and evaluating psychological information, and to write about it accurately and engagingly. It will prepare you to make a difference to the wider world and help make you more employable.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Produce accurate sci coms (i.e., communications of scientific content) suitable for non-specialist audiences: 1
Demonstrate use of techniques for increasing reader engagement such as ¿arouse and fulfil¿ or ¿story structures¿: 1
Reflect on their sci-coms skill-set development: 1
Critically evaluate a range of psychological sources:

Study hours

Taught class time - 22 hours
Reading, preparation, and independent study - 68 hours, of which around 11 hours will be asynchronous guided activities
Assessment 1 - 20 hours
Assessment 2 - 40 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment