Science Journalism

Science Journalism: An Introduction gives wide-ranging guidance on producing journalistic content about different areas of scientific research. It provides a step-by-step guide to mastering the practical skills necessary for covering scientific stories and explaining the business behind the industry. Martin W. Angler, an experienced science and technology journalist, covers the main stages involved in getting an article written and published; from choosing an idea, structuring your pitch, researching and interviewing, to writing effectively for magazines, newspapers and online publications. There are chapters dedicated to investigative reporting, handling scientific data and explaining scientific practice and research findings to a non-specialist audience. Coverage in the chapters is supported by reading lists, review questions and practical exercises. The book also includes extensive interviews with established science journalists, scholars and scientists that provide tips on building a career in science journalism, address what makes a good reporter and discuss the current issues they face professionally. The book concludes by laying out the numerous available routes into science journalism, such as relevant writing programs, fellowships, awards and successful online science magazines. For students of journalism and professional journalists at all levels, this book offers an invaluable overview of contemporary science journalism with an emphasis on professional journalistic practice and success in the digital age.

In The New Science Journalists, Editors Ted Anton and Rick McCourt have gathered the best of the new science writing into one illuminating volume. What is new about the work of these journalists lies in the scale, pace, and uses of their writing. These writers bridge the gap between members of the science community and a society hungry for news about their work, acting not only as reporters and commentators, but also as investigators, researchers, detectives, and storytellers. The editors have showcased three very different kinds of writers. The first group explores the complexities of our universe with childlike wonder, and includes Diane Ackerman, John Seabrook, and Elisabeth Rosenthal. The second group, relentless investigators who expose the inside stories of scientific research, includes Deborah Blum, Robert Capers, Eric Lipton, and John Crewdson. And the third group of writers, who dig through data uncovering trends that researchers themselves miss, features Timothy Ferris, E.O. Wilson, James Gleick, and many more. These writers are helping to broaden the very boundaries of science by making complex topics such as chemistry, physics, biotechnology, and ecology accessible and entertaining to readers of every kind. Combining superb prose and compelling subjects, The New Science Journalists examines some of the most fascinating issues of our times.

Science Journalism: An Introduction gives wide-ranging guidance on producing journalistic content about different areas of scientific research. It provides a step-by-step guide to mastering the practical skills necessary for covering scientific stories and explaining the business behind the industry. Martin W. Angler, an experienced science and technology journalist, covers the main stages involved in getting an article written and published; from choosing an idea, structuring your pitch, researching and interviewing, to writing effectively for magazines, newspapers and online publications. There are chapters dedicated to investigative reporting, handling scientific data and explaining scientific practice and research findings to a non-specialist audience. Coverage in the chapters is supported by reading lists, review questions and practical exercises. The book also includes extensive interviews with established science journalists, scholars and scientists that provide tips on building a career in science journalism, address what makes a good reporter and discuss the current issues they face professionally. The book concludes by laying out the numerous available routes into science journalism, such as relevant writing programs, fellowships, awards and successful online science magazines. For students of journalism and professional journalists at all levels, this book offers an invaluable overview of contemporary science journalism with an emphasis on professional journalistic practice and success in the digital age.

A deeply sourced, inclusive guide to all aspects of science writing with contributions from some of the most skilled and award-winning authors working today. Science writing has never been so critical to our world, and the demands on writers have never been greater. On any given day, a writer might need to explain the details of AI, analyze developments in climate change research, or serve as a watchdog helping to ensure the integrity of the scientific enterprise. At the same time, writers must spin tales that hook and keep readers, despite the endless other demands on their attention. How does one do it? The Craft of Science Writing is the authoritative guide. With pieces curated from the archives of science writers’ go-to online resource, The Open Notebook, this book explores strategies for finding and shaping story ideas, pitching editors, and building a specialty in science writing. It delves into fundamental skills that every science writer must learn, including planning their reporting; identifying, interviewing, and quoting sources; organizing interview notes; and crafting stories that engage and inform audiences. This expanded edition includes new introductory material and nine new essays focusing on such topics as how to establish a science beat, how to find and use quotes, how to critically evaluate scientific claims, how to use social media for reporting, and how to do data-driven reporting. In addition, there are essays on inclusivity in science writing, offering strategies for eradicating ableist language from stories, working with sensitivity readers, and breaking into English-language media for speakers of other languages. Through interviews with leading journalists offering behind-the-scenes inspiration as well as in-depth essays on the craft offering practical advice, readers will learn how the best science stories get made, from conception to completion. Contributors: Humberto Basilio, Siri Carpenter, Jeanne Erdmann, Dan Ferber, Tina Casagrand Foss, Geoffrey Giller, Laura Helmuth, Jane C. Hu, Alla Katsnelson, Roxanne Khamsi, Betsy Ladyzhets, Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Amanda Mascarelli, Robin Meadows, Kate Morgan, Tiên Nguyễn, Michelle Nijhuis, Aneri Pattani, Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, Mallory Pickett, Kendall Powell, Tasneem Raja, Sandeep Ravindran, Marion Renault, Julia Rosen, Megha Satyanarayana, Christina Selby, Knvul Sheikh, Abdullahi Tsanni, Alexandra Witze, Katherine J. Wu, Wudan Yan, Ed Yong, Rachel Zamzow, Sarah Zhang, and Carl Zimmer

Analyzing the role of journalists in science communication, this book presents a perspective on how this is going to evolve in the twenty-first century. The book takes three distinct perspectives on this interesting subject. Firstly, science journalists reflect on their ‘operating rules’ (science news values and news making routines). Secondly, a brief history of science journalism puts things into context, characterising the changing output of science writing in newspapers over time. Finally, the book invites several international journalists or communication scholars to comment on these observations thereby opening the global perspective. This unique project will interest a range of readers including science communication students, media studies scholars, professionals working in science communication and journalists.

Bringing together experts from a range of disciplines, this collection critically examines science journalism, paying special attention to the points of tension that science journalists navigate in their work today. Faced with the twin crises of climate change and a global pandemic, science journalism has never before been so prominent. This book showcases perspectives that transcend the particulars of the specific news events and outlets studied, in order to provide an overview of the key areas of scholarly interest regarding the nature of science journalism. The volume is organised into three sections: the first provides historical case studies illustrating the demarcation of science journalism from science as science journalism emerged as a recognisable news beat in the twentieth century; the second examines the relationship between science journalists and their sources, particularly scientists, and the mediation of this relationship through organisations, foreign journalism and political constraints; and the final section considers the style and voice of science journalism content. Case studies and original empirical research are compiled from across the globe, including the UK, US, Germany, Vietnam, and Russia, and are synthesised to offer a readable and engaging insight into the beat. Insights on Science Journalism is recommended reading for advanced students and researchers of science journalism and communication and will also appeal to those working in the fields of science and technology studies and risk communication.

This book examines the main issues and challenges that science journalism faces in the MENA region while analyzing how journalists in these countries cover science and engage with scientists. Most countries in the Middle East and North Africa region have set an ambitious goal for 2030: to transform their societies and become knowledge economies. This means modernizing institutions and encouraging people to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as part of their daily lives. This books claims that the main vehicle to achieve this goal is science news reporting, as it continues to be the main platform to disseminate scientific knowledge to the general public. Simultaneously, it is also poorly equipped to achieve this task. Interviewing dozens of journalists, the authors looked at specific areas such as the gender divide and its effects on science news reporting as well as the role of religion and culture in shaping journalism as a political institution. The authors conclude that traditional normative assumptions as to why science reporting does not live up to expectations need to be reviewed in light of other more structural problems such as lack of skills and specialization in science communication in the region. In so doing, the book sets out to understand the past, present and future of science news in one of the most challenging regions in the world for journalists.

"The veteran journalist Tim Radford, who headed up the science desk at the UK's Guardian newspaper for more than two decades, was once interviewed by a government committee charged with investigating the fragile relationship between "science and society." In a lengthy report submitted to the House of Lords in February, 2000, the committee noted that the public's faith in both science and government had been shaken over the preceding years - in part by an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, colloquially known as "mad cow disease." This and the swift rise of biotechnology, the burgeoning internet age, and other fast-moving manifestations of human ingenuity, it was determined, were creating an air of anxiety and mistrust"--

A practical manual for anyone who wants to turn scientific facts into gripping science stories, this book provides an overview of story elements and structure, guidance on where to locate them in scientific papers and a step-by-step guide to applying storytelling techniques to writing about science. In this book, Martin W. Angler outlines basic storytelling elements to show how and where fledgling science storytellers can find them in scientific output. Journalistic techniques like selection through news values and narrative interviews are covered in dedicated chapters. A variety of writing techniques and approaches are presented as a way of framing science stories in ways that are informative and compelling in different media – from short films to news articles. Practical examples, selected interviews and case studies complement each chapter, with exercises and experimentation suggestions included for deeper understanding. Review questions at the end of each chapter cement the newly gained knowledge to make sure readers absorb it, with links to articles and online tools inviting further reading. A valuable resource for students of journalism and science communication as well as professional journalists, scientists and scientists-in-training who want to engage with the public or simply improve their journal papers. This book is a one-stop shop on science storytelling with a clear focus on providing practical techniques and advice on how to thrive as science writers and communicate science in all of its complexity.