SciComm Lessons from the Ancient Greeks
SciComm Lessons from the Ancient Greeks
Can ancient Greek persuasion techniques help us communicate science effectively?
Happy November, newsletter readers! Sheeva here. I hope our newsletter finds all 200 of you well (or well enough). I’m writing this in between watching World Cup games (shout out to my fellow World Cup fans!). It’s all about balance…
Keep reading to learn about what SciCommers can learn from the ancient Greeks about rhetoric (the art of persuasion).
Remember that science communicators are, at their core, communications pros. It’s not enough to know science; the next step is to apply communications skills to make a great impact. Keep reading for Kelly’s insights!
SCICOMM AS RHETORIC
Good science communication is good communication; good science writing is good writing. All writing is persuasion. Good writing is effective because it is persuasive. The “rhetorical triangle” refers to a millennia-old device from the Greek philosophical tradition of Aristotle for rhetorical persuasion. Originally oriented toward speaking, it is equally useful in writing.
The points of the triangle are the appeals to three means of persuasion: by demonstrating logic (logos), by establishing authority (ethos), and by building connection (pathos). Remember, also, this set of elements implicated in writing (or speaking): the writer, the audience, and the context.
RHETORIC AND SCICOMM
Good science communication writing requires foremost good writing. Whether you are discussing the weather or the Higgs boson particle, if your work doesn’t reach your audience, it won’t go anywhere. Enter Rhetoric: the study and practice of impactful communication. It is not just about good grammar or correct punctuation. Rhetoric is about formulating and communicating ideas in a way that builds understanding, credibility, and zeal.
LOGOS & SCICOMM
What this means
The Greek “logos” means reason, individual reasoning or the universal order. The point is to sway your audience by proving the reason behind your argument (or whatever point you are making). This is achieved by creating a context that illustrates the origin, mechanisms, and impact of your topic. The goal is to obviate the workings of what you are talking about and how it fits into the bigger picture.
Logos in SciComm
Logos is typically established in the introduction by painting a picture how the topic fits into the bigger picture. The blog “Life as a Woman in STEM” discusses gender discrimination in STEM. The author appeals to logos using statistics to demonstrate the existence and reach of this issue in STEM. By illustrating the context of this issue, the author demonstrates how this phenomenon operates and its impacts.
“’In 1970, women made up 38% of all U.S. workers and 8% of STEM workers. By 2019, the STEM proportion had increased to 27% and women made up 48% of all workers,’ writes the Census. While women have made gains in medicine, law, and business, few women are becoming scientists and engineers, notes the AAUW in a recent report. This is despite the fact that women now earn a majority of all undergraduate and advanced degrees, as the Pew Research Foundation writes.”
ETHOS & SCICOMM
What this means
The Greek “ethos” means character, here, the character of the communicator. To appeal to ethos is to demonstrate your expertise and authority to speak on a topic. It is about persuading your audience of the legitimacy of what you are saying by proving that you are a valid source of information. This is commonly achieved by proving your academic or professional credentials or by mentioning your previous (validated) research.
Ethos in SciComm
Appealing to ethos – or, persuading by establishing your credibility and authority on a topic – is often achieved subtly. Credibility is implicated by who the author is (a well-known scientist?), where they work (a university or credible organization?), where the piece is published, and their past work (where it was published and whether it was validated). Take the following example from the blog post “When It Comes to Communications, Scientists Can Learn a Lot from Policymakers”:
“By Sheeva Azma, founder of Fancy Comma, LLC… To improve my science communication skills, I participate in #SciCommChat on Twitter. You can find it on Twitter at @SciCommClub … I’ve long talked about the need for greater scientist engagement in policy. … I’ve blogged about how to effectively advocate for science on Capitol Hill at the Fancy Comma blog. … Masks and vaccines have become a political bargaining tool…. Nidhi Parekh and I recently debunked some of the myths surrounding the COVID vaccines here.…”
Sheeva’s biography in the above blog establishes her status as a trained scientist, a science communicator, and a former Capitol Hill insider. Fancy Comma, founded by Sheeva, has established itself as a reliable source of science communication information. Finally, Sheeva aligns herself with professional organizations like SciCommChat and with other established science communicators like Nidhi Parekh.
PATHOS & SCICOMM
What this means
The Greek “pathos” means experience, emotion, or condition. Appealing to pathos is persuasion by stirring your audience; it is about conveying and compelling passion and emotional reaction. This may seem out of place in science communication. It does not mean sensationalizing or producing propaganda. Rather, it means showing connecting with your audience, building a shared sense of importance – based on the facts and proven or likely implications.
Pathos in SciComm
The appeal to pathos is most often, though not always or only, found in the conclusion. Again, appealing to pathos does not mean sensationalizing. Persuading by compelling an emotional connection to the topic is most effective when it is grounded in empirical facts. Take the below example from “The Canary in the Coal Mine: COVID and Health in the Dine (Navajo) Nation.”
“Drastic disparities in … COVID among the Diné (Navajo) Nation are “the canary in the coal mine” … signaling the deadly effects of years, and centuries, of exposure to policies disregarding the well-being of Native people …. The erasure of Native people from U.S. history or modernity is not merely a matter of genocide or relocation, but a continual process of imposed invisibility with dire effects.”
This piece concludes a discussion of the history of colonization and subsequent structural inequalities faced by Navajo people by making a strong but substantiated plea to recognize the severity and origin of the current challenges faced by the Navajo people. Poignant adjectives like “drastic,” “deadly,” and “dire” to stir a response that appreciates the seriousness of the issue.
GOOD SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Good science communication is good communication; good science writing is good writing. Think of all communication of ideas as a type of persuasion or argument. At the very least you are arguing that what you are saying is true. From debating to lecturing, to chatting, whether your audience understands and accepts what you say as valid depends on your ability to persuade them of your credibility, why what you are saying is reasonable, and why it matters.
I learned so much reading this. Thanks, Kelly!
What we’ve been reading (and writing):
On the Fancy Comma blog, I (Sheeva) talked about the burnout problem among pandemic science communicators and how I personally dealt with it. We also interviewed Muriah Umoquit, a qualitative health researcher and science communicator, and talked about the importance of editing your Master’s or PhD thesis.
If you’re a SciCommer seeking to join the marketing world, it’s important to know the lingo of the marketing world! For example, you’ll need to know all about brand jargon: learn about it here. Also check out The Creative Marketer Library.
According to Harvard Business School, simple writing pays off — literally!
I’m all about working less right now. That’s why I loved reading this blog about another freelancer, Kat Boogaard, doing less.
Can’t remember if I ever shared this, but here’s a three-part podcast from Nature about the interface between science and policy.
That’s it for this month’s newsletter! If you liked it, please remember to share with your friends on social media!