Science Education through Creative Writing

Art and science are intrinsically linked. Science requires curiosity, along with skills in observation, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Art is no different; however, the two disciplines are typically presented as opposites to children at a young age and the emphasis on differences lead to a false dichotomy of career paths and even self-identification. Recent research has shown that integrating artistic disciplines such as creative writing into traditional STEM fields aids both majors and non-majors in establishing interdisciplinary connections between required education courses and courses in their field of interest, resulting in increased student learning and understanding. This study incorporated creative writing into a college-level entomology course through writing prompts where students observed magnified images of arthropods and other objects and described them using creative language. The students were also encouraged to engage with the course material through personal experiences and reflections. We discovered that this creative writing assignment helped students gain confidence in their writing abilities, foster new connections through critical thinking, and develop a deeper appreciation for entomology. In addition, this exercise helps instructors identify student’s misconceptions, establish baseline class knowledge, and connect facets of multiple disciplines to meet learning objectives.