This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore how community college students describe their motivations and reasoning when learning about controversial science topics at a southwestern community college. Anti-science attitudes have been increasing globally, but is not fully understood. Two research questions were developed using the theory of motivated reasoning, which poses that individuals are either motivated to be accurate or to arrive at their pre-determined conclusion when evaluating new information. To answer these questions, 14 southwestern community college students participated in semi-structured interviews, and seven participated in a focus group. This study revealed that these students are not unanimously pro-science or anti-science in their thinking, nor do they solely use one form of motivated reasoning. Four themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews and focus group related to RQ1, how students describe their motivation when learning about controversial science topics: 1) trust or mistrust motivated students, 2) accuracy motivated students, 3) directional goals motivated students, and 4) influencers motivated students. Six themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews, four of which also emerged in the focus group related to RQ2, how students describe their reasoning when learning about controversial science topics: 5) students used scientific evidence as reasoning, 6) students used information learned in school as reasoning, 7) students used research as reasoning, 8) students used experience as reasoning, 9) students use news, documentaries, and articles as reasoning and 10) students use faith as reasoning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]