Learning outcomes
Storytelling is among the most effective ways of communicating, passing on and disseminating values and knowledge. Thus, the course aims at providing students with theoretical and practical skills useful to learn how narrative methodologies can be applied to different specialized knowledge, in order to foster their adequate and possibly correct public communication. In particular, the course provides a summary overview of storytelling styles and methos applied to history, science, technology and environmental issues. A variety of areas and styles of science storytelling are thus explored, from those about journalism and publishing industry to museums and mass-media.
The expected learning outcomes include:
- knowledge and critical analysis skill of the topics discussed in class and in the reference books;
- ability to critically analyze different types of communication sources;
- learning skills to translate events, notions and terms of specific forms of knowledge into narrative form;
- acquisition of skills potentially useful in the science journalist/writer profession.

Prerequisites
No prerequisite is required

Contents
The course is divided into two complementary parts: a theoretical part (about 30 hours) and a practical one (about 18 hours).

The theoretical part mainly cover the following topics:
- introductory aspects to the history of science communication;
- what is the scientific imaginary;
- the scientific imaginary in mass culture and its role in the social representation of science;
- science stories in the media and journals - science and public opinion;
- how urban legends and fake news about science, technology and environmental issues are born, develop and spread (analysis of some well-known as well as emblematic case studies);
- dangers of pseudoscience;
- sources, methods and styles of mass and nonspecialist communication of science;
- science/environmental journalism
- science/nature writing.

The practical part consists of individual and group activities addressed to the composition of different types of science communication papers (investigative reports, guided writing of articles, short essays, science storytelling papers).

Educational objectives
The educational objectives are achieved by means of lectures (about 30 hours) and practical exercises using a PC workstation as well as teaching material provided by the lecturer (about 18 hours). Lectures may also take place in seminar form in order to encourage critical analysis and discussions among students.

Examination
The examination consists of an oral interview, which aims to assess knowledge of the main topics discussed during the class and included in the reference books. The interview includes at least one question on each reference book and at least one question on the teaching materials uploaded on the e-learning platform. The final grade (out of thirty) is formulated on the basis of:
- accuracy of answers (65%),
- language skills and argumentative ability (20%),
- critical analysis skills (15%).

Contact information
The lecturer receives by appointment, set by e-mail (lecturer e-mail: a.candela@uninsubria.it)