Researchers reveal in a new study how the majority of California public school textbooks contain wrong science about climate change, suggesting doubts if climate change is already occurring and if humans are causing this serious environmental issue.

In this new study, researchers aim to determine what is the role of textbooks for sixth graders when it comes to climate change, as their knowledge will stem from these books during classroom discussions and activities.

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With the use of systematic functional analysis, the team from Stanford University examined the language used in chapters in relation to climate change among four science textbooks used by sixth grade students in California.

They also analyzed the linguistic variables such as processes, circumstance, modality system and nominal groups and concluded that these major textbooks are "framing climate change as an uncertain event in the scientific community".

According to K.C. Busch from Stanford University, the team discovered that these language choices and their text are portraying climate change as uncertain along several lines, whether climate changes was indeed happening and whether humans are causing it and their future effects.

Science textbooks are filled with facts and information based on reality and usually, these use an "authoritative stance" with the help of declarative sentences based on current scientific data. However, researchers found that these statements contain uncertainties with the use of words and phrases such as, could, might or may appear.

For example, Focus on Earth Science by Prentice Hall states in one chapter about climate change that "not all scientists agree about the causes of global warming and some think that the 0.7 Celsius degree rise in overall global temperatures in the past 120 years may be due to, in part of natural variations occurring in climate."

This tone of uncertainty in these science textbooks could lead to further debates whether climate change is real and caused by humans. The researchers also recommend that these textbooks are in dire need of updating on current issues especially on global warming.

The researchers were also surprised when one textbook even stated that there are apparently positive effects with global warming. In the same textbook, it is also stated how climate change can bring about positive effects to places that are "too cold" for farming which can now be used for farming and growing crops, like in some places during the cold season, farmers may now plant two crops instead of just one in one year. 

According to co-author of the study, Diego Román of the Southern Methodist University, this study could not be applicable to all science textbooks but it presents "problems within the texts" that are being read by a large proportion of American teens and could have a significant influence on their views of climate change and ultimately, their immediate action to curb global warming.

This new study is published in the journal Environmental Education Research.

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