A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism : Lessons From the Front Lines

## Abstract A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism is a compendium of advice, insights, and lessons about how to do excellent and thoughtful science journalism from some of the best science journalists working today. With chapters from more than 40 leading practitioners from around the world, representing publications from the New Yorker to the BBC, Science magazine to the New York Times, the book includes sections on storytelling craft and basics, investigative reporting, digital media, international journalism, and specialty beats, ranging from infectious disease to cyberterrorism. A sample of chapters includes Paige Williams, of the New Yorker on magazine writing; Helen Branswell of STAT on infectious disease reporting; Thomas Lin, editor of Quanta, on digital magazines; Dan Fagin, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning book Tom’s River, on book authorship; Martin Enserink, international editor of Science, on cross-border narratives; Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times on dealing with mistrust; Pallab Ghosh of the BBC on the art of the interview; Maggie Koerth of FiveThirtyEight on statistics reporting; Nadia Drake of National Geographic on astronomy and space journalism; and Sarah Kaplan, of the Washington Post, on climate and environment reporting. The book, packed full of beautifully told and compelling essays on key issues in science journalism, also explores ethical challenges and decision-making by experienced journalists, resulting in a product both practical and full of philosophical insights into the profession. Cover 1 Half Title 2 A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Contributors 12 Introduction 16 Part I 20 1. How Science Works 22 2. Finding and Vetting Sources 29 3. Journals, Peer Review, and Preprints 36 4. Working With Statistics 43 5. Fact Checking 50 Part II 58 6. A Foundation in News 60 7. Story Structure 67 8. Audio Storytelling 75 9. Film and Video Storytelling 82 10. Multimedia Storytelling 88 11. Data Storytelling 95 12. Opinion Writing 102 13. Magazine Writing 109 14. Book Writing 116 Part III 124 15. Investigative Science Journalism 126 16. Accessing Public Records 133 17. The Art of the Interview 140 18. Cybersecurity and Protecting Your Sources 147 19. The Public Information Machine 154 Part IV 160 20. Medicine 162 21. Infectious Diseases 169 22. Public Health 176 23. Social Sciences 183 24. Science and Justice 190 25. Physics 197 26. Genetics 204 27. Technology 210 28. Space 217 29. Climate 224 30. Conservation and Wildlife 231 31. Earth Sciences 238 32. Mathematics 245 33. Science Policy 252 34. Artificial Intelligence 259 35. Cybersecurity and National Security 266 Part V 274 36. New Models for Science Media 276 37. Measuring Success in Science Journalism 283 38. Social Media in Science Journalism 289 39. Building Trust and Navigating Mistrust 296 40. Marketing Your Stories 303 Part VI 310 41. Narrative Reporting Abroad 312 42. Reporting in Authoritarian Regimes 319 43. Collaborative Journalism Across Borders 326 44. Reporting in the Global South 333 EPILOGUE Stay Curious, Question Everything 340 Resources 348 Index 352 A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism brings together award-winning journalists from around the world to share fascinating tales of science and how it works and to provide guidance into reporting specialties like infectious disease, climate change, astronomy, public health, physics, and statistics. From practical advice on finding sources and distilling complex research subjects for a general audience, to tips on how to cover science in authoritarian regimes, the book serves as an essential survey of the best in science reporting today--and a testament to the importance of independent journalistic inquiry in understanding research and building trust with audiences. Drawing insights from writers based at publications including The New York Times, the BBC, The Washington Post, Science, The New Yorker, National Geographic and more, this guide is designed to help journalists everywhere improve their craft and serve as a valuable resource for those seeking to understand the profession at its best. "The veteran journalist Tim Radford, who headed up the science desk at the UK's Guardian newspaper for more than two decades, was once interviewed by a government committee charged with investigating the fragile relationship between "science and society." In a lengthy report submitted to the House of Lords in February, 2000, the committee noted that the public's faith in both science and government had been shaken over the preceding years - in part by an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, colloquially known as "mad cow disease." This and the swift rise of biotechnology, the burgeoning internet age, and other fast-moving manifestations of human ingenuity, it was determined, were creating an air of anxiety and mistrust"-- Provided by publisher