Student’s name: Kosma Chałas

Based on a chapter: Science and the media

SG 11

1. What did scientific studies show with regards to the effects of vaccines on autism?

The notion that vaccines cause autism has been clearly disproved.

1. When scientific discoveries are presented in the media they are usually presented in a matter of fact fashion with the goal of informing the public.

   1. False

2. Who was the scientist that proposed that the MMR vaccination caused autism?

   1. Andrew Wakefield

3. Give two reasons why scientists are reluctant to educate the public about science?

   1. Fear of being seen as intolerant of new ideas.

   2. Feeling that public airing of scientific disputes somehow reflects badly on science

4. Write at least three biases of the journalists writing about the vaccine-autism issue?

   1. Culture in which scientific information is offered

   2. Scientists

   3. Lawyers, politicians and media itself