1. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
REPORTING
Source: Gabriel L. Cardinoza, Correspondent, The Manila Times, November 3, 2022
MELINDA C. GABERTAN
Teacher III
Cabalaoangan Elementary School
2. What is science journalism?
Science journalism is not scientific writing, like
laboratory reports and research papers, which are
directed towards researchers or members of a
particular field.
3. What is science journalism?
Science journalism is writing in article form — usually
news, feature or opinion -- long or short, that explores
recent events in science and explains them to a general
audience.
4. What is science journalism?
Science journalism is meant for a general audience,
accessible to all levels of knowledge and
understanding, for non-experts and
“non-scientists.”
5. Your role as science journalist
You bridge the world of science and your community.
You do not need to know as much as the scientists.
You simply need to be able to put the relevant parts of
their knowledge into words which your audience can
understand.
8. Challenge
Big news organizations often have reporters with some
scientific education to specialize in writing about
science and health.
In smaller newspapers, radio and television stations,
this task is left to general assignment reporters.
9. Your role as science journalist
You bridge the world of science and your community.
You do not need to know as much as the scientists.
You simply need to be able to put the relevant parts of
their knowledge into words which your audience can
understand.
11. Build up a basic knowledge
Science and health is a huge field, but each subject
usually has some basic rules which govern it. If you
understand these rules, you will be able to work out the
rest of the topic.
12. Read widely
Science advance so quickly that you must keep up to
date. Read articles on science and health. Read books
on basic science. Avoid textbooks which are too
complicated. Instead, look for books which explain their
subject in simple terms for ordinary, non-scientific
readers..
13. Make contacts
Get to know as many scientists and medical
practitioners as you can. They can give you advice on
subjects you do not understand and, like any good
contact, they will be a useful source of story ideas.
14. Build trust
Many scientists do not trust journalists. They may not
think you are capable of reporting their work properly or
they may have had a bad experience with a journalist in
the past. They may have been misquoted or seen
errors in a story.
16. Factors to consider before writing
What is the story you want to write about?
It may sound obvious, but first you need to think about
what you are going to write about.
17. Factors to consider before writing
Who do you want to write the article for?
Consider your audience at this early stage and why the
subject is interesting to your readers.
18. Factors to consider before writing
How much, or how little, can you assume they know
already? What part of the story will they be most
interested in?
You should think carefully about who will read your
story before you write it. Always keep the reader in
mind as you write your story.
19. Factors to consider before writing
Why are you telling the story?
You have decided what to write about and who your
audience will be. Now think about why you should write
the story.
20. Factors to consider before writing
Is it newsworthy?
If you want to write about the latest scientific results
which have recently been published, check that the
work is a significant advance. Science is generally
incremental and genuine breakthroughs are seldom
seen.
21. Factors to consider before writing
Is there any human interest?
If your chosen story doesn’t captivate you, then this will be
reflected in your writing. It’s unlikely that your audience will
be interested if you are not.
Your story could be based on human interest – something
about the scientists or other people involved in the story,
or the particular situation in which they found themselves.
22. Factors to consider before writing
Is it timely?
Timing is crucial. Why should your reader care about
this story right now? It isn’t enough to say that you just
learned about it – a story needs a recent or upcoming
event to anchor it in the present.
24. What to write about
Health: local health situation; stories on how to prevent
prevailing diseases, such as conjunctivitis, dengue,
leptospirosis; healthy practices that should be done in
school and at home, best practices during the height of
Covid-19 pandemic.
25. What to write about
Science: Science experiments; simple science
phenomenon, i.e., why is there a lightning? How is
electricity produced by a river?
26.
27. What to write about
Technology: Farming or gardening techniques, fisheries
technology; computers, etc.
28.
29. What to write about
Research in the Internet, but writers must be properly
taught how to cite sources to avoid plagiarism.
30. What to write about
Interview local health officials and technology experts, if
there are.
32. Writing your story
The language of science is one of the main reasons
why some journalists are afraid of reporting in this area.
In many cases, it is like listening to a foreign language
which you cannot speak.
33. Understand the jargon
Scientific names and technical terms (or jargon) are
necessary for scientists. It enables them to speak more
accurately to one another about things they have in
common.
Example: Researchers say they have found a new way of testing
unborn babies for spina bifida - a deformity of the spine which can
cause paralysis.
34. Use concrete words where possible
People easily understand things which they can feel,
smell, see, touch, taste or hear. You should explain the
scientist's abstract ideas in concrete words your
ordinary readers or listeners can understand.
Example: Scientists in Tarlac have invented a sewing thread so strong
that it could take the weight of a fully-grown elephant.
35. Do not overload with figures
Do not overload your stories with large numbers or lots
of figures. In many cases, especially at the start of a
story, you should round figures off to make them
simpler to understand.
Example, 19,750 kilometers becomes "almost 20,000 kilometers.”
36. Write brightly
Your audience will not like long boring explanations. So
you should develop a bright style of writing. Keep your
words clear and simple. Do not use too many scientific
terms and explain them in simple words.
37. Give background details
Very few new scientific or technological developments
happen by accident. Most are the result of work over
time. Discoveries may come suddenly, but they usually
come because a scientist is looking for something
anyway.
38. Illustrate your story
Try to provide illustrations which will bring your story
alive. Pictures or diagrams can say very quickly what it
might take you a thousand words to describe.
39. 5 ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
1.Facts
- articles must present
sensible, digestible,
coherent, and relatable data
40. 5 ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
2. Expert Interview
- the end-all, be-all of
your article
41. 5 ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
3. Figure/ Statistics
- This makes your article
more specific
42. 5 ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
4. Comparative Analysis
- Highlights the intensity/
progress of your topic
43. 5 ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
5. Solution
- do not leave the readers
hanging, hopeless, and
scared! Science always
provides a way out.
44. WRITING A SCIENCE ARTICLE
HEADLINE
- Must have a complete
thought
- Must not editorialize
- Must trigger curiosity
59. Recap
Understand the basic principles of any scientific field report on
it; you can get that understanding by:
Having a basic scientific education;
Reading books and magazines about science and technology;
Taking an interest in scientific and technological developments;
Establishing good contacts with experts who can help you with
information
60. Recap
Always try to write your stories with a human angle;
remember the people who make the developments and
the people who will use them
Never write a story until you understand all the
information you will need to use contacts with experts
who can help you with information
61. Recap
Avoid jargon
Use concrete images to explain abstract ideas
Write brightly and simply
Think of the best ways of illustrating any story
62. Recap
Avoid jargon
Use concrete images to explain abstract ideas
Write brightly and simply
Think of the best ways of illustrating any story
