Science journalism is a specialized form of journalism that focuses on reporting and communicating scientific topics, discoveries, and research findings to the general public. It helps bridge the gap between highly technical research that can only be understood by a handful of specialists and the broader public.
However, there is a danger in science journalism. While it's important to communicate with the public, scientists and researchers should be careful not to dumb down messages or information that may misinform or mislead the public. In this article, we discuss the importance of science journalism and tips to follow to write effective science journalism.
The importance of science journalism
Science journalists have a civic responsibility to educate the public. Highly technical scientific information and discoveries can be difficult for the public to understand.
The job of the science journalist is to close the separation between the scientific community and the scientific knowledge that it produces and the public. Here are three reasons why science journalism is important:
1. Scientists can communicate important information to the public. Science journalists act as intermediaries, translating complex scientific concepts into accessible language. This role ensures that important scientific knowledge reaches a broader audience.
2. Science can gain good PR for their research. Effective science journalism can enhance the visibility and understanding of scientific research. This can help garner public interest and support for scientific endeavors. This good PR can eventually motivate researchers to push forward with even more useful scientific research and discoveries.
3. Good PR can help justify research and get more funding. Positive media coverage can impress on the wider public the value of scientific research. It can help create a link between what happens in the lab and what happens in their everyday life. This can aid in securing funding and resources for future projects. Some sponsors use media and public interest or even hype to decide what projects to support with funding.
Examples of science journalism
Science journalism can take several forms. It could be press releases associated with scientific discoveries issued by a lab or articles published in peer-reviewed journals. It could be articles written by dedicated science journalists, whose job it is to write science journalist articles.
Several reputable publications are dedicated to science journalism. They include:
1. Science News. Offers news articles, videos, and more about the latest scientific advances.
2. Scientific American. Provides in-depth articles on various scientific topics.
3. Science. Features a wide range of scientific news and research articles.
An example of science journalism from 2023 is the article "Scientists create mice with cells from 2 males for 1st time" published in The Washington Post on March 15, 2023. In the following excerpt, I provide the abstract of a study about clownfish that apparently can count and then compare to it a science journalist article: Counting Nemo: anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris identify species by number of white bars
ABSTRACT: The brilliant colors of coral reef fish have received much research attention. This is well exemplified by anemonefish, which have distinct white bar patterns and inhabit host anemones and defend them as a territory. The 28 described species have between 0 and 3 white bars present, which has been suggested to be important for species recognition. In the present study, we found that Amphiprion ocellaris (a species that displays three white bars) hatched and reared in aquaria, when faced with an intruder fish, attacked their own species more frequently than other species of intruding anemonefish. Additionally, we explicitly tested whether this species could distinguish models with different numbers of bars. For this, 120 individuals of A. ocellaris were presented with four different models (no bars, and 1, 2 and 3 bars) and we compared whether the frequency of aggressive behavior towards the model differed according to the number of bars. The frequency of aggressive behavior toward the 3-bar model was the same as against living A. ocellaris, and was higher than towards any of the other models. We conclude that A. ocellaris use the number of white bars as a cue to identify and attack only competitors that might use the same host. We considered this as an important behavior for efficient host defense.
Both the scientific study and the magazine article take advantage of the pop culture associated with clownfish. Finding Nemo is a popular Disney movie, and the title of the scientific study is based on that. It's a rare example of scientific research employing humor in its title. However, the scientific study does not refer to this pop cultural reference in the body of the article.
However, with the science journalist article in Science, the very first sentence refers to the movie Nemo:
Aside from a certain Pixar movie, clownfish may be best known for their bright white stripes. We’re not the only ones paying attention to these patterns, it seems. A new study finds that the swimmers notice when other clownfish sport the same number of white lines as they do, suggesting they may be capable of using rudimentary counting to recognize fellow fish.
Here two tactics are being used that are not typical of scientific writing. These include lighthearted humor and references to common pop cultural references that your target audience may be familiar with. You can also include quotes from interesting experts as was done in the Science magazine article. We discuss these and more tips to adopt when writing science articles for the broad public.
Tips on writing good science articles for the public
To effectively communicate scientific information to the public, remember you are not writing a scientific article for publication. It is now your chance to be more relaxed in your approach and even inject some humor, compared to other forms of academic writing. Consider the following tips:
1. Use quotations. Incorporate direct quotes from scientists and experts to add authenticity and clarity to the article.
2. Avoid jargon. Simplify complex scientific terms and concepts to make the content accessible to a wider audience.
3. Approach the topic from an angle that the public would appreciate: Relate scientific findings to everyday life and societal issues to engage readers and highlight the relevance of the research.
How EminentEdit can help with your science journalism
EminentEdit premium copyediting services include subediting journalist-type articles as well as writing press releases. We are a small group of professional editors with extensive experience editing and proofreading a wide range of literature, including science journalist articles.
EminentEdit provides editing and proofreading services that are:
More importantly, we are adaptable to your specific needs. | Get in touch with one of our representatives for help in editing your article. We know what you want to say. We help you say it better. |
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Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, November 23). What Is Science Journalism? EminentEdit. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/what-is-science-journalism |
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