SCIENCE WRITING
EUGENIO SONNY O. CALAPIT
[email protected]0939-342-6637
WHAT IS SCIENCE JOURNALISM?
Let’s hear from a science columnist from
SciDev.Net, veteran journalist and academician
Professor Emeritus Crispin C. Maslog
SCIENCE JOURNALISM
Reporting and interpreting of issues and events
about science & scientists
Difference is in subject matter
What scientists do/What reporters do
Very little science reporting is done
SCIENCE JOURNALIST
Bridge between the scientist & the people
Promote science
JOURNALISM IN GENERAL
Basic principles apply to science journalism
Factual
Objective
Balanced
Fair
Accurate
WHY THERE IS LITTLE COVERAGE ABOUT S&T
WHY THERE IS LITTLE COVERAGE ABOUT S&T
E 4:19
WHY THERE IS LITTLE COVERAGE ABOUT S&T
Stage of country’s economic development
Low level of development of science in the country
Little significant research done
Underdeveloped science journalism sector
Media do not hire full time science journalist
Only 2 schools offer science journ—UPDil & UPLB
Showbiz, sex scandal
Need to jazz up science reports
THE SCIENCE WRITER
THE SCIENCE WRITER
Science Beat
What makes a good science writer?
a scientist who know how to write or a journalist who
understands science
Mastery of the English language
College degree
One who loves and studies science deeply
SOME TIPS IN WRITING SCIENCE STORIES
Write LEAN
Clear, concise language
Easy on the adjectives
Use short sentences/paragraphs
800-1,000 words
As high as 1,500 words if the stories are iportant
AVOID JARGON
When using unfamiliar scientific terms,
define as briefly as possible
give its literal meaning
translate
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…
Virus is a Latin name which literally means poison or
slime.
Scientists say that a virus contains short strands of either
RNA (RiboNucleic Acid) or DNA (Desoxy-Ribo-Nucleic
Acid). The DNA contains the blueprint of heredity while
the RNA is the messenger of heredity.
MAKE IT DESCRIPTIVE; GIVE IT A TOUCH OF
COLOR
The packet is pristine white, almost antiseptic
and the advertising stresses the cleanness of the
brand. Under the cellophane, high gloss paper and
silver foil are 20 cigarettes which the somewhat
evangelical wrapping says are of ‘low-tar content.’
They are double-filtered and they are said to be
ultra light, as opposed to their several dozen
competitors which are variously touted to be simply
‘light,’ ‘super light,’ ‘cool,’ or ‘refreshing.’
EMPHASIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
PROBLEM
The Central plains (in Thailand) where rice
harvest is plentiful is also home to millions 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 than 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.
In Asia, they destroy about one-third of the
food produced yearly.
EMPHASIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
PROBLEM
http://www.scidev.net/asia-
pacific/disasters/analysis-blog/asia-pacific-analysis-
a-plan-for-all-typhoon-seasons.html
WHEN REPORTING A RESEARCH OR
TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH, DO TELL WHY
IT IS A BREAKTHROUGH
Tablet for disaster response developed in
Philippines - SciDev.Net South-East Asia & Pacific
http://www.scidev.net/asia-
pacific/innovation/news/stick-filters-out-99-per-cent-
of-bacteria-from-water.html
http://www.scidev.net/asia-
pacific/technology/news/innovative-off-grid-fridges-
to-give-a-sure-chill-to-vaccines.html
-GIVE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SITUATION
Widen the discussion to include other aspects of
the problem or situation
Examples
Genetic engineering
Genetically modified organisms
CITE YOUR SOURCE, MOST ESPECIALLY IN
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
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.
Or:
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…”
CITE YOUR SOURCE, MOST ESPECIALLY IN
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
Life did not originate on this planet, but in
extraterrestrial space. It came, in fact, from comets.
Sri Lankan Prof. Chandra Wickremasinghe,
head of the Department of Astronomy, University of
Cardiff, placed his reputation on the line and
ignored the incredulity of his scientist-colleagues all
over the world by advancing a sensational and
startling new theory on the origin of life..
HUMANIZE YOUR STORY
Inject emotional element
Interesting experience, milestone, path-breaking
success, heartbreaking failures
Use quotes & dialogues
MAKE YOUR LEADS 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 male and female flatworms,
parasites whose eternal coupling produces and fertilizes
the eggs to bring full circle the life cycle of the fork-tailed
cercarie worms that cause snail fever or schistosomiasis.
The disease attacks 15 percent of people living in
Sorsogon. (Amor, et al., 1987)
THANK YOU!
