Opinion, Science & environment, Voices

Scientific literacy: It’s not (just) about facts

By Public Affairs

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Is knowledge of scientific facts a good measure of scientific literacy? Is accepting the theory of evolution? If not, how should we assess scientific literacy? And how can it be fostered?

In an NPR opinion piece, UC Berkeley psychology professor Tania Lombrozo looks at public knowledge of facts and concepts from science (as revealed by recent polls), and competing definitions of what it means to be scientifically literate.

“People’s acceptance of basic scientific facts does tell us something about scientific literacy,” she writes. “But it might not be what you think.”

Read Tania Lombrozo’s piece on the National Public Radio blog “13.7 Cosmos & Culture.”