Science, Media and Society Web post

Sumner, P. et al (2014). The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases: retrospective observational study. The Lancet, 10 December 2014 (8 pp.). A concise study of exaggeration in health news items – and in the press releases these are based on. The paper can be retrieved from the University Library.

Hargreaves, I., Lewis, J., & Speers, T. (2003). Toward a better map. Science, the public and the media. Swindon: Economic and Social Research Council. (NB: read pp. 6-53.) Slightly dated because it does not address the influence of social media, but still worth reading, as it provides a good introduction to some of this elective's major themes.

Add an example to Tuesday’s/Wednesday’s Science on Facebook: find a case that illustrates or contradicts the claims made in the readings. Max. 200 words.