Abstract

This thesis examines how graduate-level science students view science journalism, investigating how discussions in formal or informal pedagogical settings with professors and peers intersect with one’s likelihood to participate in science journalism activities. Through the use of semi-structured interviews, twelve graduate-level science students shared their thoughts on various topics related to science journalism. Grounded theory using thematic analysis resulted in the development of a framework for considering how this largely unstudied group of future scientists perceive science journalism: The Four T’s of Science Journalism. The research posits that graduate-level science students employ normalized behaviors fostered in science programs when consuming news, wherein they become critical analyzers of news stories, actively seeking discrepancies in the news stories they read. Regardless of the nature of conversations around science journalism in classroom or casual settings, and the news consumption habits of students, the research argues that the scientists of tomorrow are eager to learn about and participate in the creation of science journalism, pointing to the critical necessity to further assess how science journalism is woven into graduate-level science programs today and the urgency to which the disparate literatures of science communication and science journalism should be bridged in the pursuit of creating meaningful science journalism for public audiences.