See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

19 used & new from $10.42

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Selling Science: How the Press Covers Science and Technology
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get yours here.
 
  

Selling Science: How the Press Covers Science and Technology (Paperback)

by Dorothy Nelkin (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


2 new from $60.49 17 used from $10.42
Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 16 used & new from $4.60
Paperback 13 used & new from $4.16

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers

A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers

by Deborah Blum
4.3 out of 5 stars (7)  $17.78
Communicating Uncertainty: Media Coverage of New and Controversial Science (Lea's Communication Series)

Communicating Uncertainty: Media Coverage of New and Controversial Science (Lea's Communication Series)

by Sharon M. Friedman
$40.41
On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

by William Zinsser
4.5 out of 5 stars (175)  $10.19
News and Numbers: A Guide to Reporting Statistical Claims and Controversies in Health and Other Fields

News and Numbers: A Guide to Reporting Statistical Claims and Controversies in Health and Other Fields

by Victor Cohn
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  $35.07
Beamtimes and Lifetimes: The World of High Energy Physicists

Beamtimes and Lifetimes: The World of High Energy Physicists

by Sharon Traweek
3.3 out of 5 stars (3)  $20.70
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
This well-documented study of science writing for the general public in the United States is frequently critical in tone. Nelkin demonstrates through many quotations that science writers frequently act as promoters of science and technology, depicting scientists as miracle workers who are constantly achieving "breakthroughs." She is properly scornful of the superficial, "gee whiz" brand of coverage so often produced by the popular press; she examines the constraints and pressures on science writers and explores the sometimes uneasy relations between research scientists and science writers. A challenging, worthwhile book, recommended for academic and public libraries. Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
This text discusses how the media cover science and technology. This revised edition replaces cases with current ones. It features a revised analysis to reflect recent changes in the way science is reported, with more attention paid to coverage of scientific fraud, the split between highly critical and promotional treatment of science and the increased role of scientists in the media. The book also includes more coverage of television reporting of science.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 217 pages
  • Publisher: W.H. Freeman & Company; Rev Sub edition (February 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0716725959
  • ISBN-13: 978-0716725954
  • Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,069,684 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #56 in  Books > Nonfiction > Current Events > Mass Media > Newspaper


Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search
No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible for Understanding How the Media and Science Interact, January 13, 2009
By S. L. Montgomery "science observer" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Dorothy Nelkin was one of the premier "field" sociologists of science during the past 35 years, until her untimely death in 2003. She studied and wrote abundantly about the most intense science controversies of the post-war era: nuclear power, military research, foetal and DNA research, genetic modification, and much more. As part of this work, she was constantly involved in observing and analyzing how the media, as the most public forms of knowledge transfer, handled the different sides in any debate and how the knowledge itself was represented. Her book "Selling Science" comes directly out of this experience, and it is sobering. Nelkin shows how the style and information needs of the news media (as well as its logistical demands) differ profoundly from those for scientists, leading to perceptions and realities of misrepresentation.

No scientist who deals with the media should be without this book. Its examples are dated (from the late 80s and early 90s), but its points remain wholly intact. The recent scandal of how the media handled the climate change issue in the U.S., favoring ideas of "uncertainty" in the name of "balance" (while being deeply influenced by a tiny but vocal minority of global warming deniers) is certainly a case in point.

The book should also be read by all students of media studies, and by journalists themselves.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
0 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Not a memorable read., February 7, 2001
If you are interested in science writing and how scientists and those who write about scientists' work influence and affect eachother, you might find some useful information here. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


   


Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)



Look for Similar Items by Category


Bath Wonders from LUSH

LUSH bath bombs
Find bath bombs, bath melts, shower jellies, and more great gifts for yourself (or a friend!) from LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

Shop LUSH now

 

Best Books of 2008

Best of 2008
Find our top 100 editors' picks as well as customers' favorites in dozens of categories in our Best Books of 2008 Store.
 

Summer Reading for Kids & Teens

Summer Reading for Kids and Teens
Discover everything from beach reads and board books to teen romance and action-adventure series in Summer Reading for Kids & Teens. And, check off the kids' required reading lists in our Summer School Reading Store.
 

Find the Air Compressor to Fill Your Needs

Shop for compressors
Whether you need to power a pneumatic tool or fill a tire, an air compressor provides the power you need.

Shop for compressors

 

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Where's My Stuff?

Shipping & Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue shopping: Top Sellers
Paranoia
Paranoia by Joseph Finder
Glenn Beck's Common Sense
Glenn Beck's Common Sense
Darkfever
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates