In her TED talk, ex-journalist and communication coach Jo Filshie Brown suggested three important points that science communicators should keep in mind. She joked it was a quick PhD! The key points were 'people; headline; do'. What did she mean by this?

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The question asks about Jo Filshie Brown's three key points for science communicators: 'people; headline; do'. Here, we evaluate each answer option in light of that framing.

Option a: 'People are scared of science so make it fun. Headlines should be very short and to the point. Do describe the details of the discovery process.' This choice misstates the emphasis. It suggests fear as the motivating factor and prioritizes brevity of the headline while emphasizing details of the discovery process, which contrasts with the idea of first prioritizing people and then a clear main message. It also places the focus on fun and detail rather than connection with audiences and the essential relevance of the discovery. In short, it misaligns with the three-step guidance and overemphasizes tone or mechanics rather than audiences, messaging clarity, and relevance.

Option b: 'People should be the focus of stories about science to create connections. Headline ideas should be presented first so people understand the main message. Do explain why discoveries are important and relevant.' This option adheres closely to each component of the three points. It centers the audience (people) to build connections, emphasizes presenting a clear main message upfront through the headline, and includes the imperative to explain the significance and relevance of discoveries. It captures the sequence implied by the quick PhD joke: know your audience, present the core takeaway, then justify why it matters. This aligns with the intended meaning of the 'people; headline; do' framework.

Option c: 'People should be the ones to communicate science, not AI. Headlines should be attention grabbing. Doing science is important.' While some elements may seem plausible, this choice introduces an artificial dichotomy between people and AI that isn’t part of the three-point framework. It emphasizes attention-grabbing headlines and the act of doing science in isolation, rather than focusing on connecting with people, presenting a clear main message, and explaining significance. It thus diverges from the specific order and purposes implied by the stated points.

Option d: 'People want to read about science. Headlines need to be accurate and technically correct. Do present all the important information in chronological order.' This option places emphasis on reader interest, which is reasonable, but it shifts the emphasis toward chronological presentation and technical exactness rather than the explicit three-step structure of people first, then a clear headline, then a justification of importance. The ordering and framing do not precisely match the intended guidance of the three points.

Across the options, the core misunderstanding in the incorrect choices often lies in misplacing priorities (tone or detail instead of audience focus), misordering tasks (headline before engaging people or before explaining relevance), or introducing extraneous distinctions (AI vs humans) that aren’t part of the original framework. The correct interpretation highlights building connections with people, presenting a clear main message via the headline, and explaining why the discoveries matter.

SCI1000 S1 2025 Week 4 quiz

In her TED talk, ex-journalist and communication coach Jo Filshie Brown suggested three important points that science communicators should keep in mind. She joked it was a quick PhD! The key points were 'people; headline; do'. What did she mean by this?

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