The document outlines the principles and techniques of effective science writing, emphasizing the importance of clarity, factual accuracy, and engaging storytelling to communicate complex scientific concepts to the general public. It details the structure of science articles, including essential elements such as headlines, leads, bodies, and conclusions, along with various formulas tailored for different topics in science journalism. Additionally, it offers tips for improving writing style and ensuring that scientific terms are accessible to a lay audience.

1. SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
WRITING

2. SCIENCE WRITING is the clear and
effective presentation of scientific
reports translated into stories that
the average reader or the layman
could understand.
- Prof. Ceciliano-Jose Cruz
 Science News
 Science Editorial
 Science Feature

3. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISM
Scientists, doctors and
other experts
Science and
technology writers
Ordinary people

4. JOURNALISM IN GENERAL
Basic Principles Apply to Science
Journalism
1.Factual
2.Objective
3.Balanced
4.Fair
5.Accurate

5. SCIENCE WRITING can be in the
form of news, feature, or editorial but
a science article differs from other
forms because of the ANGLE.
An angle is the side of the story
you want to emphasize.
For science writing, we must
emphasize a story’s relation to any
scientific process or matter.

6. TOPIC: Breastfeeding
News: Number of mothers who are
breastfeeding
Editorial: Why millennial mothers do not
breastfeed
Feature: Breastfeeding: Bonding between
the mother and the child
Science: Nutritional Benefits of
Breastfeeding

7. TOPIC: Fumigation
 Do not mention that there was a fumigation.
 What were the chemicals used during the
fumigation?
 What are the description of these chemicals?
 How can these chemicals ensure that dengue
mosquitos will be terminated?
 Do these chemicals have any effects on human
health?

8. IMPORTANT POINTS FOR
SCIENCE EDITORIAL
S – state the problem
P – position on the problem
E – evidence to support your position
C – conclusion (who’s going to be affected and how?)
S – solutions to the problem

9. ELEMENTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
1. Definition of the word
2. Case study
3. Statistics
4. Expert’s quote

10. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A
WINNING SCIENCE ARTICLE
1. FACTS – it must present sensible,
digestible, coherent and relatable data
2. EXPERT INTERVIEW – the end-all,
be-all of your article
3. FIGURES/STATISTICS – this makes
your article more specific

11. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A
WINNING SCIENCE ARTICLE
4. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS –
highlights the intensity/progress of your
topic
5. SOLUTION – Don’t leave the readers
hanging hopeless and scared. Science
always provide a way out!

12. BASIC PARTS OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
1. Headline/Title – catchy, not too long
2. Lead – catchy, twist or interesting, the
first paragraph
3. Body – smooth flow, one idea per
paragraph
4. Conclusion – check lead, serves as
clincher

13. HEADLINE/TITLE
 it must have a complete thought
 it must trigger curiosity
Example:
Feature style
Aquaculture: Five Ways on How to Make
it Sustainable

14. HEADLINE/TITLE
News style
1. Local fish farmers say aquaculture
easy to sustain with correct methods
2. Bacteria make ‘spider silk’ that’s
stronger than steel

15. LEAD (science news)
 it explains the headline
be direct to the point
 be conversational
Example:
DOH: Leptospirosis cases rise to 1,500
The Department of Health (DOH) on July 5
confirmed the rise of leptospirosis cases all
over the country.

16. LEAD (science feature)
 Direct quotation
“ The banana industry is a sagging
enterprise,” according to the DOST
 Saying
An ounce of prevention is better than a
pound of cure – the safe and the best way
to avoid getting contaminated with
leptospirosis lends a truism!

17. BODY
 gives the readers the detailed parts of
the news.
 it develops the facts ad the data given
in the lead.
 it is the elaboration of Ws and H of the
news.
 it is the meat of the story.

18. BODY
 preferably one sentence for one
paragraph. It encourages readers to
continue reading.
 Each paragraph should contain only
one idea.

19. Example:
DOH: Leptospirosis cases rise to 1,500
The Department of Health (DOH) on July 5 confirmed the
rise of leptospirosis cases all over the country.
Dr. Benjamin Herrera, an alumnus of the University of
Santo Tomas, said that local cases have reached 1,500.
He also added that the National Capital Region (NCR) has
the highest cases of leptospirosis, followed by
CALABARZON (Region IV-A) and Central Luzon (Region
III).

20. In NCR, Malabon has the highest case of
leptospirosis, followed by Navotas, Caloocan,
Marikina, Valenzuela and Makati.
These cities were determined by the Metro Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) as flood prone
areas.
One of the common misconception about leptospirosis
is that it only came from rat urine.
According to experts, bacteria can penetrate in the
body through any skin opening or wound.

21. FORMULA FOR SCIENCE ARTICLES
For illnesses
Title
Origin
Symptoms
Cure
Prevention
Conclusion

22. FORMULA FOR SCIENCE ARTICLES
For trends
Title
Origin
Science angle 1
Science angle 2
Benefits
Threats
Conclusion

23. FORMULA FOR SCIENCE ARTICLES
For tonics/supplements
Title
Origin
Nutritional content
Health benefits
Source
Conclusion

24. ANATOMY OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
 Headline/title (with source/statistics)
 Lead (elaboration of the headline)
 Facts with source
 Facts with source
 Direct statement
 Direct statement
 Fact with source
 Direct statement
 Possible solution from the expert
 Conclusion

25. ANATOMY OF A SCIENCE ARTICLE
 Headline/title must mention the source/expert and
statistics
 Expound the headline
 Mention the representative/name of the expert, his
background(if any), then info about the disease
 Source
 Symptoms
 Cure
 Prevention
 Conclusion

26. ESSENTIAL FACTORS
 Expert interview
Credible source
 Professional opinion

27. TIPS IN SCIENCE WRITING
1. Write in a conversational manner.
2. Do not leave your readers hanging.
3. Define scientific terms.
4. Learn how to appreciate data.
5. If there are figures provided, make
sure this will be included in your
headline.

28. TIPS IN SCIENCE WRITING
6. If the expert is not famous, do not mention
him/her in the headline and in the lead.
7. Make sure that your lead s the explanation
of your headline.
8. When you mention the name of the expert,
the first time, write his full name. For
agencies and organizations, spell it out.
9. Stick to the scientific angle of the story.

29. TIPS IN SCIENCE WRITING
10. Do not provide other information
unless, it is from a known authority or a
data accessible to the public.
11. Do not forget to define terms,
explain/cite the sources, implications and
cures of diseases.
12. Always provide a solution but quote
an expert.

30. Make it descriptive
- Give it a touch of color
The packet is pristine white, almost
antiseptic and the advertising stresses
the cleanliness of the brand. Under the
cellophanes, high gloss paper and silver
foil are 20 cigarettes which the
somewhat evangelical wrapping says are
of ‘low-tar content.’

31. Avoid jargon
When using unfamiliar scientific terns,
define as briefly as possible
- give its literal meaning
- translate

32. Example
The disease, called Cadang-cadang, has
caused the deaths of millions of coconut
trees since it was first reported in 1931.
Cadang-cadang literally means yellowing
or the slow death of a plant…

33. Emphasize the magnitude
The Central plains (in Thailand) where rice harvest is
pentiful is also home to million of rodents, causing an
average loss of 25 percent of pre-harvest crop. Some
estimates even peg the total crop loss to as much as 70
percent.
The World Health Organization estimates that one rat can
eat about 27 pounds of warehouse food and deposit about
25,000 droppings to spoil more.
More then 4 billion rats (about 1 billion in Asia) now
inhabit the world and they destroy more than 33 million
tons of stored grains each year.

34. Do not overload with figures
Especially the the start of a story, you should
round figures off to make them simpler to
understand.
Example:
19,750 kilometers can be stated as:
almost 20,000 kilometers
around 20,000 kilometers or
about 20,000 kilometers

35. Give the other side of the situation
Widen the discussion to include other
aspects of the problem or situation
Humanize your story
- inject emotional element
- interesting experience, milestone, path-
breaking success, heart-breaking failures
- use quotes and dialogues

36. Cite your source, most especially in controversial
issues
Example:
More and more researches involving humans will be
done in Asia in the coming years, and there is a
strong need to safeguard participating people,’ says
Dr. David M. Macfadyen, head of WHO’s Research
and Promotion Development.
The US Congress-commissioned study made by its
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee says the “nuclear power is no longer a
cheap energy source.”

37. Make your lead interesting
They seek out and find each other and mate. Then
they remain locked in continuous sexual intercourse
for 20-30 years.
Here was Dr. Reuben C. Umali describing that 30-
year love affair. “I’m sure some people would like to
change places with them’” he said. They remain in
perfect fidelity, in permanent copulation - in your
liver. “They” are tiny make and female flatworms,
parasites whose eternal coupling produces and
fertilizes the eggs to bring full circle the life scycle of
the fork-tailed cercarie worms that caused snail fever
or schistosomiasis.

38. Use concrete words if possible
When reporting sizes –especially the very
large and very small – translate them into
terms which ordinary readers can
understand.
Example:
Breeders in Papua New Guinea produced a
new breed of super pig which can weigh up to
750 kg – about the weight of a small car.

39. Write brightly
Keep your sentences short and simple.
Try to limit the important ideas to one (or
two at the most) per sentence.

40. Wrong:
Farmers on New Ireland are battling a
plague of the new insect species
penetrens lugoles which is related to the
horse fly and has devastated large herds
of pigs in Africa and Southeast Asia and
already killed 527 pigs on the island by
laying eggs in their ears which eventually
hatch into maggots which burrow their
way into the animal’s brain in search for
food.

41. Right:
Pig farmers on New Ireland are battling an insect
which has already killed more than 500 pigs on
the island.
The insect, which is related to the horse fly, has
already devastated herds in Africa and Southeast
Asia.
The new species called penetrens lugoles lays its
eggs in pigs’ ears. When then eggs hatch, the
maggots burrow into the animal’s brain in search
of food.

42. References
https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_32.htm
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/319824783/Science-and-Tech-News-
Writing