MCB 15 UC Berkeley Spring 2012

S U R V E Y II The Public Understanding of Science

Scantron Questions 1) What is your gender? a) Female b) Male 2) What is your highest educational achievement? a) No or some high school b) High school degree c) Some college, no degree d) Community/junior college with a degree e) College/university with an bachelors or higher degree 3) Where do you get your information about science? a) Newspaper, books, magazines (print material) b) Newspaper, books, magazines (on-line, on internet) c) Social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs) d) Television, radio e) Conversations, word-of-mouth 4) In your opinion, how factual is the science information you get in this way? a) Very factual b) Somewhat factual c) Not so factual d) Not very factual 5) How informed about science do you feel relative to your friends and family? a) Very informed b) Somewhat informed c) Somewhat un-informed d) Very un-informed 6) In your occupation/job how important is it for you to use science/scientific information? a) Very important b) Somewhat important c) Somewhat unimportant d) Not important at all 7) Which of the following fields is hardest for you to understand? a) Political Science b) Film c) Biology d) Psychology e) Chemistry

MCB 15 UC Berkeley Spring 2012

8) What is the primary reason for this being the hardest field to understand? a) I lack the interest. b) It is farthest from my personal experience. c) I find the concepts difficult to grasp. d) The available information is written for experts. e) It has little real world value. 9) I _____ with the statement, Global climate change is happening. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree 10) I _____ with the statement, The risks of vaccines causing autism outweigh their benefits of preventing disease. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree 11) I _____ with the statement, It is important for the general public to understand evolution. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree 12) I _____ with the statement, Scientific facts are what drive science-related policy. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree 13) I _____ with the statement, The general public holds scientists in high esteem. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree 14) I _____ with the statement, Faith and science are compatible. a) strongly agree b) somewhat agree c) somewhat disagree d) strongly disagree

MCB 15 UC Berkeley Spring 2012

Oral Questions Take notes 1) What is your occupation? 2) Talk about your experience with science. 3) Is there a gap between how scientists understand science and how the general public understands science? If there is a gap, why? If not, why not? 4) If there is a gap, should we be concerned? Please explain. 5) Why did you choose to participate in this survey? And then record on the participants scantron. 15) Is there a gap? a) Yes b) No c) Dont know 16) If so, why? a) Media b) Religion c) Education d) Scientists e) Other 17) Should we be concerned? a) Yes b) No c) Dont know