Science Literacy in America
Understanding what we know, why we know it, and where we can improve
Low Levels of
Science Knowledge
A​ 2007 study conducted by Michigan State University found that only 28% of American adults were considered 'scientifically literate' (Michigan State University, 2007). What exactly does this mean? DeBoer (2007) describes science literacy as "the desired familiarity with science on part of the general public". While most of us have heard phrases like "science is the basis of all life," we fail to realize that science not only plays a large role in the processes influencing life, but also strongly contributes to our day to day experiences and understanding of real world situations.
Introducing Science Literacy
Definitions + Consequences
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To start off, science literacy is a complex topic. Studied across various fields and by a range of professionals, the topic of science literacy is difficult to solidify define. This is because science literacy influences individuals, society, and the world in differing ways and is not confined into one box. Throughout this discussion, we'll become familiar with the various contexts in which science literacy becomes influential. However, these contexts also provide an opportunity for science literacy to be viewed, and therefore, defined, from multiple perspectives.
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Early definitions of the term define science literacy on three applications: practical, civic, and cultural (National, A.O.S.E.A et al., 2016). Practical science literacy involves using science for survival and everyday situations, where civic science literacy addresses becoming involved in civic discussion and democratic choice (National, A.O.S.E.A. et al., 2016). Cultural science literacy suggests viewing science literacy as a component of the human race in order to positively contribute to society and achievements (National, A.O.S.E.A. et al., 2016). As time has progressed, however, differing definitions and perspectives have developed, partially due to the evolution of science through time. At one point in time, an individual may have attributed science literacy to understanding the phases of the moon. Now, expectations differ.
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In today's climate, where we hear about driverless cars, virtual reality games, and billionaires heading to Mars, the necessary level of science knowledge for the average citizen is difficult to gauge. What knowledge is useful and relevant, and to what extent should individuals be expected to apply this knowledge? This is the point in which defining science literacy becomes challenging.
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Science literacy is also difficult to measure. Researchers from the National Academy of Science summarize this best:
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"The measurements [in terms of science literacy] have not evolved at the same pace as the definitions. As a result, the field faces a concept that cannot yet be fully assessed"
(National, A.O.S.E.A., et al., 2016).
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We could go into depth about this, but there's a main take- away that's important to understand. Science literacy is defined in various ways, but because of the plethora of interpretations that exist, there is a challenge in consistently measuring it. Keep this in mind as you navigate throughout the website. You may hear "science knowledge" used as a measurement, a much more accurate term than "level of science literacy" under these contexts. At the bottom of this page, you will see a few small paragraphs highlighting the discussion on the next few pages. The purpose of this website is to educate everyday people, especially those who don't use science too much in their lives, why science is still important to them and society as a whole.
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A Current Study
Examining attitudes towards science and scientific interpretation
Demographic Information of Survey Respondents
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Ages of respondents range from 19- 56 years old
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65% of respondents identified as females, while 35% identified as males
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17.5% of respondents listed 'high school' as their highest level of education completed, while 40% answered 'some college' and 45.5% answered 'Bachelors, Masters, or higher'.
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30% of respondents currently work in a STEM related field (specifications included nursing, [computer/ electrical] engineering, biology, research, pharmogenomics, and software development + IT)
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The Results
We know that Americans are generally at a low science literacy rate. Before conducting my research into the topic, I felt that it would be valuable to gain insight on the perceptions individuals’ have towards science related- matters. I began to wonder if people didn’t know much about science simply because they weren’t too interested in it. Or didn’t think favorably of it. Ultimately, this led me to consider what people’s general attitudes were towards science and related- manners. That’s what this purpose of the survey is. By understanding the most basic views people have about science, we may have some insight into the question of why science literacy is lacking.
I gathered responses from a survey population of 40, mostly based in the Cincinnati area. It’s worth noting that this survey does not provide a macroscopic view into science- based attitudes, but rather serves as a representation of the respondent group. The survey asked for some general demographic information, followed by opinion- based, subjective styled questions.
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Question 1: On a scale of 1-10, how informed do you feel on science and science- based concepts?
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A majority of respondents put themselves in the middle or high- end when reporting their level of being informed on science and science- based concepts. Only ten respondents (25%) reported a number 1 through 5, while 30 respondents (75%) reported a number 6 or higher. 8 was the most frequently chosen response, with ten total respondents (25%) selecting that number. This shows that within this group, a majority of people would feel generally informed on science concepts.
Figure 1. Scale representing how well- informed of science concepts.
Question 2: Compared to subjects like math, English, history, etc., how important do you feel that education over the science- related subjects are?
70% of respondents feel that science education is equally important as education over other subjects. 30% feel that it is more important. No respondents felt that it was less important, or did not have an opinion.
Figure 2. Importance of science education pertaining to other subjects.
Question 3: How much do you agree with the following statement? Science is a significant part of everyday life.
90% of respondents agreed, to some extent, that science is a significant part of everyday life. 52.5% strongly agreed, while 37.5% agreed. 10% of respondents were neutral to the statement, while no respondents disagreed, to either extent.
Figure 3. Agreement that science is a significant part of everyday life.
Question 4: How often do you keep up with science news, progress, and/ or research?
5% of respondents said they always keep up with science progress, news, and research. 35% selected Usually, with 40% reporting Sometimes. 17.5% selected Rarely, while 2.5% reported Never.
Figure 4. How often respondents keep up with science progress, research, and/or news.
Question 5: Please select the statement below that you most agree with concerning science in the media. Note: the media refers to news, radio, social media platforms, online articles, etc.,
Figure 5. Science in the media.
Question 6: When you hear the word "science," where do you feel that your attitude falls towards?
10% of respondents had a very positive attitude about the word science, with 45% reporting a positive attitude. 42.5% reported a neutral attitude. 2.5% had a negative attitude towards the word, a no respondents had a very negative attitude.
Figure 6. Attitudes upon consideration of the term "science".
Discussion of responses
While this survey was not as conclusive as it would be under a more professional context, we are still able to recognize general trends from the group of individuals who responded. People feel generally informed on science and science- based concepts, with 75% responding above the average value answer on a 1 to 10 scale (Figure 1). All respondents feel that science education is as important or more important than other subjects of education (Figure 2) with majority (70%) feeling that it is equally important. A majority (90%) of respondents agreed/ strongly agreed that science is an important part of everyday life (Figure 3). 55% of respondents have a very positive/ positive attitude when they hear the word science, while 42.5% felt neutral; these two categories are the most heavily represented within the data (Figure 6).
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We begin to see more spread out views when dealing with the media and news. In questions pertaining to how often respondents keep up with science progress, news, and research, we see a Bell- type curve; few respondents on either end of the spectrum with always and never, with a majority usually, sometimes, or rarely keeping up with the news (Figure 4). We see a similar trend when asked about the media's depiction on science and science- based information. A significant majority (92.5%) felt that the media sometimes cover science topics well or that they share inaccurate information (Figure 5), an undesirable outcome in either sense.
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The media as it pertains to science is a topic that will be considered under the Cultural/ Societal Influences section. Besides attitudes pertaining to media and news, respondents generally have a positive or neutral view on science in differing contexts. Few respondents have negative or very strong views against science and science- based information.
A preface of our discussion
This website will consider implications on science literacy under educational, societal + cultural, and political contexts. The Influential Contexts tab on the menu navigation bar separates each of these areas into their own page. These discussions are made to give some background as to why science literacy levels are where they currently fall, as well as some suggestions posed to combat low science literacy rates. The Real World Implications tab will discuss the Four Rationales posed by various reputable sources and published by National Academies Press; these rationales are used to convey why science literacy should matter to each individual. In other words, what are the arguments for being scientifically literate? Lastly, the References + Resources tab will provide a comprehensive list of sources used throughout the course of this discussion, as well as the recognition of further areas of research and potential sources to consider.
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The purpose of this website is to not only inform readers on the issue of science literacy, but hopefully, to express why readers should value science literacy and strive for improved science literacy among the general public.
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