Logo

Science and Health Journalism

Code: 104988
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Journalism OP 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Michele Catanzaro
Email :
michele.catanzaro@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but it is understood that the students have obtained in the preceding courses knowledge derived from subjects such as Journalistic Writing (I and II), Sources, Techniques and Organization of Journalistic Work, Audiovisual Languages, Production, Expression and Product Design Journalistic, Theories of Communication, Structure of Communication, among others that can provide a theoretical and practical basis. These subjects provide the necessary knowledge and skills to correctly follow the subject of Scientific and Health Journalism since students will have a theoretical and practical basis on which to develop.

Objectives

The objectives of the course are:

a) Explain the different approaches of journalism to scientific and health knowledge.
b) Encourage students to integrate and work with complex knowledge in specific natural, social, exact, and life sciences areas.
c) Develop skills to communicate pieces of information, ideas, problems, and solutions to the general or specialized public.
d) Work critical capacity to interpret relevant data, and search for information and specific sources in the scientific and health fields.

The content of the course will apply the gender perspective in a transversal way. It does so precisely from the following aspects:

a) Knowledge about the inclusion of the gender perspective in journalistic texts on science and health issues.
b) Identification and recognition of the debate on gender diversity in science.
c) Encouraging reflection on the current state of news production on scientific and health issues from a gender-inclusive perspective.

Learning outcomes

  • CM08 (Assess the role of journalism in defending freedom of expression and transparency in democratic processes, and design news strategies to combat disinformation and foster critical thinking in society.) Assess the role of journalism in defending freedom of expression and transparency in democratic processes, and design news strategies to combat disinformation and foster critical thinking in society.
  • CM09 (Propose journalistic narratives that foster gender equity, respect for diversity, the integrity of sexual freedom and egalitarian gender representation in the public sphere.) Propose journalistic narratives that foster gender equity, respect for diversity, the integrity of sexual freedom and egalitarian gender representation in the public sphere.
  • CM10 (Include journalistic coverage of the SDGs in science, politics and society contents, and ensure that they are spread in the local, regional and global media.) Include journalistic coverage of the SDGs in science, politics and society contents, and ensure that they are spread in the local, regional and global media.
  • KM11 (Identify the principles of science and health journalism and the challenges in disseminating rigorous, accessible information that is understandable to different audiences.) Identify the principles of science and health journalism and the challenges in disseminating rigorous, accessible information that is understandable to different audiences.
  • SM09 (Use information sources, journalistic investigation techniques and documentation processes appropriately when covering political, social and scientific topics.) Use information sources, journalistic investigation techniques and documentation processes appropriately when covering political, social and scientific topics.
  • SM11 (Determine the media’s responsibility in representing vulnerable groups and minorities in the political, social and scientific news.) Determine the media’s responsibility in representing vulnerable groups and minorities in the political, social and scientific news.

Contents

--What science is and what scientists do
--The relationship between science and science journalism
--Communication of science and health: from the \"papers\" to the media
--Science journalism and science popularization
--The sources of scientific and health journalism
--Science and health topics of current journalistic relevance
--Transcoding of scientific and health contents: tools and techniques
--Good practices in science and health journalism: excellence criteria for analyzing and producing scientific journalism
--Journalistic methods and key questions when covering science and health: how to check the quality of the evidence and avoid errors and exaggerations
--Responsible communication of risks and benefits in science and health
--Reading and analysis of prominent examples of science and health journalism
--Information archaeology: the construction of scientific news
--Production of news and features on science and health


The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Independent work 42 1.68
Tuitions 8 0.32
Seminars 33 1.32
Lectures 15 0.6

The teaching methodology will consist of face-to-face activities, supervised activities, and directed and autonomous work.

During the course, students will work also on content in SPANISH and ENGLISH: knowledge of both languages is required.

The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be displayed on the day of the course presentation and will also be available on the Virtual Campus of the course, where students will be able to find the various teaching materials that the teaching staff deems appropriate and all the information necessary for the proper follow-up of the course. In the event of a change in teaching modality due to force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching staff will inform of the changes that will occur in the course programming and teaching methodologies.

15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for students to complete the surveys evaluating the performance of the teaching staff and evaluating the subject/module.

The content of the course will be sensitive to aspects related to the gender perspective and the use of inclusive language.



Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Test 20% 2 0.08 CM08, CM10, KM11, SM11
Assigment 30% 20 0.8 CM08, CM09, CM10, KM11, SM09, SM11
Practicies 50% 30 1.2 CM08, CM09, SM09, SM11

THE EVALUATION ACTIVITIES ARE:


- Activity A - Exam, 20% of the final grade

- Activity B - Practical Activities, 50% of the final grade

- Activity C - Assignment, 30% of the final grade...


To pass the course, a minimum grade of 5.0 must be obtained for each of activities A, B, and C.

When it is considered that the student has not been able to provide sufficient evidence of assessment, this subject must be classified as non-assessable.

This course does not provide for a single-assessment system.


RE-EVALUATION:


Students will have the right to be re-evaluated for the subject if they have been evaluated from the set of activities, the weight equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade for the subject. In order to be able to present the re-evaluation of the subject, it will have had to obtain the average mark of 3.5. The activity that is excluded from the recovery process is coursework (Assignment).


SECOND REGISTRATION:


In the case of second registration, students may take a single synthesis test that will consist of a short content test with a theoretical and practical section, using the bibliography indicated by the teaching staff and a proposal for a research report on a scientific topic.


The qualification of the subject will correspond to the grade obtained on the synthesis test.


PLAGIARISM:


In the event that the student performs any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that could be instructed. In the event, that several irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.


AI:

For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translations, and in no case as a replacement for creative activities such as the production of texts, photos, videos and audios. If in doubt, students should consult with the teaching staff. Studentsmust clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and, in the case of non-trivial uses, include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency of the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.

IRREGULARITIES:

The commission of any irregularity in an evaluation act (academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorised in the syllabus), which may lead to a significant variation in the grade, means that this act will be graded with a 0. In the event that the syllabus provides that to pass the subject it is an essential requirement to have obtained a minimum grade in this evaluation act or that several irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject is 0. Apart from this, a disciplinary process may be initiated against the student who incurs any of these irregularities.

Any student suspected of presenting tasks that have been generated by AI, prepared by other people or copied; include content generated by AI without referencing, or that does not fall within the permitted assumptions, may be required to produce previous work or other materials that can demonstrate that it is an unpublished work and the result of his original authorship. He may also be asked to explain or justify his work separately. The teaching staff may also use AI use identification systems or carry out the verification tasks that they deem appropriate. If after the review it is detected that irregularities have been committed, the work may be graded with a zero and the student may be subject to further disciplinary measures.

Bibliography

Bucchi, & Trench, B. (2021). Routledge Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology. Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003039242

Campos, A. (2022). Comunicación efectiva de la ciencia: ¿qué es y cómo ayuda a los científicos a mejorar su carrera y cumplir objetivos de impacto social? Revisión de la literatura. Hipertext.Net, 24, 23–39. https://doi.org/10.31009/hipertext.net.2022.i24.03

Dralega, C. A., & Napakol, A. (Eds.). (2022). Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95100-9

Dentzer. (2009). Communicating Medical News — Pitfalls of Health Care Journalism. The New England Journal of Medicine, 360(1), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp0805753

Elías, C. (2008). Fundamentos de periodismo científico y divulgación mediática. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Hernando Cuadrado, L. A. (2006). Periodismo científico y lenguaje/Scientific Journalism and Language. Estudios sobre el mensaje periodístico, 12, 331.

Hyde-Clarke, Hornmoen, Kjos Fonn, &  Benestad Hågvar. (2020). Media Health. Scandinavian University Press (Universitetsforlaget). https://doi.org/10.18261/9788215040844-2020

Sanahuja Sanahuja, R., & López Rabadán, P. (2022). La gestión de fuentes como criterio de calidad en el periodismo de verificación. Uso y tendencias en la cobertura de la COVID-19 en España. Hipertext.Net, 24, 9–22. https://doi.org/10.31009/hipertext.net.2022.i24.02

Parrott, Nussbaum & Thompson. (2011). The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203846063

Oransky. (2020). Will improvements in health journalism improve health literacy? Information Services & Use, 40(Health Literacy), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3233/ISU-200081

Urrego Zuluaga, & Bustos Villalba, J. V. (2021). Periodismo científico y perfil periodístico como elementos metodológicos para la construcción de historias hipermediales. Investigación y desarrollo, 29(2), 68–. https://doi.org/10.14482/INDES.29.2.070.4

Software

Text editing software: Word or similar
Data analysis software: Excel or similar

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 11 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 12 Spanish first semester morning-mixed