4. Science Writing
• Broad range of audiences and media
Anything
from this ➠
to this ➠
and even this ➠
Audience: scientists
and everybody else
5. Science Communication
• Also broad range of audiences and media
‘Anatomy for
beginners’
Channel 4
The-BA’s
Science
Festival
(September)
see
www.the-ba.net
Audience: everybody but
not scientists
Reports by the
Parliamentary
Office of Science
and Technology
(POST)
6. Technical Writing
• Narrower audience, mostly print media
• Patents
• Company reports
• Trade publications with high technical
content
Audience: business
people and technical
specialists
7. Science Journalism
• Wide range of audiences, big media
channels
News
Features
Documentaries
Other
E.g.
Material World
(Radio 4)
NewsnightAudience: everyone.
Your readership/viewers
12. What is the difference between science
communication and science journalism?
13. The difference
“Science writing is about explaining complex ideas
that nobody wants to keep secret. Science
journalism is about explaining things that
everyone can understand but that some might
prefer to keep buried.”
Mike Kenward, Ex-Editor of New Scientist
14. What is common to both?
• Communication skills
• Translation
• Aversion to jargon
15. What is different
• Purpose (esp. related to secrecy)
• Temporal factors (Currency and speed)
• Media industry (e.g. Vega Science Trust)
• Reach (The Media and power)
16. Your path
• What do you want to achieve, and why?
• Who are you wanting to reach?
• What do you want to say?
• What skills and resources do you need to
do this?
17. Getting in
• Science Communication MSc degrees (E.g.
Imperial)
• Media Training (Summer Schools run by
Research Councils or RI Media Centre)
• Media Fellowships (The BA - Scientists work in
newspapers and TV for 8 weeks)
• On-job training (Student newspapers, Trade
Press)
• Science Journalism Training (City University)
• Just have a go
18. BA Media Fellowships
• Scientists take placements of between 3 and 8
weeks on Guardian, Telegraph, Financial Times,
BBC TV, etc.
• Intended to create a greater awareness and
understanding of the workings of the media
among practising scientists, social scientists and
engineers.
• But they are often used by scientists who wish to
become journalists
• See www.the-ba.net
19. Media Training
• Practical courses for postgraduate research
students on “how to communicate science with
the public”
• Organised by UK Research Councils, e.g. BBSRC
• These are intended to make practising scientists
more media-conscious
• They are often used by scientists wish to leave
science and become journalists.
• But, they are about controlling the media, not how
to be a journalist
20. On-the-job training
• E.g. students write for student newspapers
whilst studying for degree
• Science graduates first job on trade press
(E.g. Electronics Weekly or Materials
World)
• Science students or graduates become
freelance journalists
• Unpaid internships (e.g. New Scientist)
• Paid internships (e.g. The Economist)
21. Have a go
• Write for your student newspaper
• If you want to be a journalist, become one:
you do not need anyone’s permission
• Study different publications (New Scientist,
Guardian Life etc.)
• How are they different to academic writing?
• How is the story structured?
22. Academic writing
• Long
• Complex
• Audience: scientists, not your granny
• Passive voice
• Most interesting bit at end
• 2 or 3 readers?
• Picture not important
• But figures, graphs and equations are
23. Journalism
• Short (News 50-400 words, Features ~1500)
• Simple (one point)
• Audience: your granny, not scientists
• Active, not passive voice
• Most interesting bit at beginning
• Thousands of readers
• Good quality picture very important (jpgs not OK)
• Figures, graphs and equations hardly ever
24. Top tips
• Write for your granny.
• Have a point. Just one. Sum up its theme in a
sentence. This is your story.
• Assume granny has not heard about your story
yet. But never assume she is stupid
• Your most interesting fact, and the main point of
your story, should be at the top
• Keep it simple
• If you want attention, consider your timing
• Read
25. Required reading
• ‘Why I write’, an essay by George Orwell
• New Scientist
• Popular science
• Lots of things that are not popular science
• Novels, poetry, book reviews – find your
voice
27. Finding help
• Join the Association of British Science
Writers (ABSW)
• Enrol in a Research Council Media Training
course
• Café Scientifique
• PSCI-COM
• Alpha Galileo
• Get trained
28. Science Communication degrees
• Mostly post-graduate, e.g. MSc/Diploma in
Science Communication
• Courses at Bath University, Imperial
College, Dublin City University, University
of the West of England, Techniquest Cardiff
and the University of Glamorgan and The
Open University
• Also Birkbeck College Diploma in Science
Communication (London)
29. Imperial College
Science Communication MSc
• For students with a science degree
• Some practical focus, much academic content
• Modules in: ‘History of Science Communication’, ‘Rhetoric
of Science’, ‘Science Policy’, ‘Ethics, Regulation and the
Law’, ‘Learning, Thinking and Creating in Science and
Technology’, ‘Narrative’, etc.
• Practicals in summer term
• Work placements (e.g. at New Scientist)
• Written examinations (two three-hour unseen papers),
academic and practical coursework,
• Dissertation
• Fees £3,650
30. Science CommunicationSource: ABSW
• Different estimates claim 60-65% of
graduates end up in print, radio or TV
• 80-90% take jobs in professional
communication (but this includes museum
work, PR people and website builders).
• Many students go to work in museums,
science centres and public relations
• “Semiotics and the rhetoric of science” says
ex-student
31. Imperial MSc Career DestinationsSource: STEMPRA
FIRST JOB AFTER GRADUATION NUMBER OF GRADUATES
Journalism, Broadcasting or Public
Relations
10
Museums or Design Studios 1
Academic Research 1
Editing 3
Technical Writing 2
Unknown 2
TOTAL 19
32. Science Journalism Training at City
• One module within the Postgraduate Diploma in
Journalism
• Students choose one specialism module.
• All specialisms (e.g. Science Journalism, Online
Journalism, Sports Journalism) taught by
practising journalists as Visiting Lecturers
• Available to students of Postgraduate Diploma in
Broadcast/Print/Periodical Journalism
• Open to students of all backgrounds
• Fees for PG Diploma in Journalism £5,250 (EU
Residents) or £9,450 (non-EU Residents)
33. Aim of course
• ‘The most important thing is to make sure that
students come out of the course with basic
journalism training - how to craft a news story,
write a feature, pitch an idea, figure out what will
interest an audience. We have so many students
from courses who don't have this basic knowledge
but are stuffed full of subjects like “History and
Philosophy of Science Journalism Through the
Ages”’ Sally Palmer, Features Editor, Focus
Magazine
34. Science Journalism training
• Practical focus on science journalism as a
profession, sources, media channels and
techniques
• 2hrs per week: 1hr lecture, 1 hr workshop
• Weekly assignments
• Encourage students to publish/broadcast
• Journalism, not just communication
• In practice, we reveal what is hidden or
overlooked
35. Course Outline
• Week 1: Group visit to museum exhibition that
illustrates opposing views in science
• Week 2: The difference between science
communication and science journalism. What kind
of journalists do we want to be?
• Week 3: Science Journalism outlets. Print and
Broadcasting. Knowing your audience.
• Week 4: The difference between news, features
and opinion/comment in science
• Week 5: Using sources. How and where to spot a
story.
36. Syllabus (ctd.)
• Week 6: Pitching your idea.
• Week 7: Finding experts. Visit to Royal Institution
Science Media Centre.
• Week 8: Science in Government. Case Study:
BSE and Human CJD
• Week 9: Science and Industry. Risk, Science and
Engineering, Case Studies: the Car Air Bag,
Nature.
• Week 10: Career doctor. ABSW, awards and
journalism networks.
37. Laura Fogg, Graduate 2004
• Biology background
• History of Science Masters Degree
• Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast
Journalism at City University
• Now working in TV production with Channel
M in Manchester
• “The job is going well. Every day I’m out
reporting and making TV packages.”
38. Advantages
• Practising journalists as lecturers helps
students develop skills, techniques and
contacts in the field
• Students have work published/broadcast in
real media channels, not degree shows
• Students find jobs
• Influence content of media
39. But what about the media?
• Journalists need to understand the process
of science
• How do we deal with contrasting views?
40. New model – Co-Training
Could we teach science students and student
journalists alongside one another?
Two groups together. Shared tasks and shared
activities.
Journalists practice interviewing
Scientists improve communication skills
Journalists come to understand differing views in
science
Scientists come to understand time pressures of
media work
41. The future
• Integrated with research methods
• Part of science
• Valued by academic institutions (compare
US)
42. Enthused?
• Know your audience
• Know your editor
• Be brave and persistent
• But most of all . . .
