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Reporting Science News: Resources
for the Media
Challenges in Reporting
General Science News:
National Association of Science Writers
(NASW): “Communicating Science News: Some
Pitfalls in Reporting Science News”
– In their guide to “Communicating Science
News,” the NASW outlined some of the
challenges that scientists and reporters
will encounter when attempting to
communicate about science to the general
public. The guide addresses the following
issues that sometimes generate
misunderstanding and tension:
Sciencebase Science Blog: “In What We
Trust” (Feb 27, 2008) – Does the growing
number of scare stories feed a healthy
public skepticism of technology, or does it
simply result in a reluctance to trust
technical expertise and science? Science
writer David Bradley addresses this common
problem experienced by many of his fellow
journalists who repeatedly encounter
obstacles in reporting science news that are
often based on unfounded qualms and
misrepresented statistics.
Related Journal Articles:
Mass Media and Medicine: Challenges and
Opportunities
Medical Student JAMA (msJAMA) - Feb
13, 2002
Journalists as Change Agents in Medicine and
Health Care
Medical Student JAMA (msJAMA) - Feb
13, 2002
General Science Communication & Science
Writing Resources:
Federation of American Societies for
Experimental Biology (FASEB): “Communicating
Science” – FASEB’s Web site includes
links to online resources for scientists
that offer tips and advice on how to
effectively communicate about science to the
media, the general public, politicians and
teachers/students.
Social Issues Resource Centre (SIRC):
“Guidelines on Science and Health
Communication” – This resource from
SIRC, a non-profit organization based in the
U.K., contains detailed guidelines and
preparation checklists to help print and
broadcast journalists understand how to
understand and effectively report on
scientific research results, and how to
communicate this complex information to the
general public.
Council of Science Editors: “Teaching
Key Groups to Communicate Science to
Nonspecialists” (1997) – This
article from the Council’s CBE Views
publication explains various ways that
journalists and scientists can increase
their science communication skills; it also
provides suggestions for a number of
different resources and approaches that can
be applied in learning and/or teaching
science writing skills.
The Poynter Institute: “Science Meets Story
– Tips and Tactics” (Nov 10, 2002) –
In his speech at the 2002 Nieman Narrative
Journalism Conference, Edward O. Wilson
provides guidelines and tips for
science/health writers that describe how the
basic concepts of good narrative journalism
are also applicable to reporting science
news.
The Poynter Institute: “Story Framing: Four
Vital Ingredients” (Aug 20, 2001)
–This article describes a set of guidelines
for framing news stories based on a
presentation at the 2001 National Writers
Workshop. The author suggests that all
journalists – particularly science/health
writers – should use these framing
guidelines as “a tool (not a rule) to get a
handle on the story and break it down.”
National Public Radio (NPR) Transcript: “The
Media Report” – This transcript of
an interview with Ira Flatow, the host of
NPR’s “Science Friday” program, features a
discussion about the relationship and
rapport between scientists and the media.
Psci-com: Science Communication Resource
Database – Psci-com is an online
database (managed by the U.K.’s Wellcome
Trust Library) that provides public access
to online resources relating to science
communication, education and public
engagement.
Journalism Groups & Resources for Science,
Health & Medical Writers:
The following groups work to support
and advance science, health and medical
journalism, and extend the professional
expertise of writers in this field:
RESOURCES FOR SCIENCE
WRITERS:
RESOURCES FOR
HEALTH/MEDICAL WRITERS:
SCIENCE & HEALTH
EDUCATION RESOURCES:
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