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Library

Topic: Journalists
Fellowships & Grants

Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program

Harvard

"The Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program is designed to bring journalists, scholars, politicians and policymakers to the Shorenstein Center for a semester to work on a project with a tangible output, and engage with students, faculty, other fellows, and the broader Harvard Kennedy School community." Journalists, politicians, scholars, policymakers, and documentary filmmakers are all eligible to apply for this fellowship. The program includes a stipend along with access to Harvard research resources. Applications are currently open for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Article

How to report on the COVID-19 uptick when the public says ‘meh’

AHCJ

"In this late stage of the pandemic, it may feel challenging to keep COVID-19 stories fresh for a fatigued public. But COVID-19 is here to stay, so it may help to think of COVID-19 stories much as you would your annual flu stories: Even if it feels as though you’ve written it before, your audience needs the information again about how rates are trending, tips on reducing risk of infection, and what’s going on with vaccines and boosters."
Article

How scientists can help reporters cover disasters

This interview between journalist Dan Falk and ocean chemist Christopher Reddy discusses what reporters and researchers can do to better work together on covering natural disasters and other scientific events with major impacts. "I’ll tell [colleagues] that journalists and scientists have a lot more in common — we both like to chase, we both like to investigate, and we like to write up what we find, and do it in a clever way, that people leave nourished," Reddy says.
Article

Top tips for breaking into narrative journalism

AHCJ

Journalist Barbara Mantel hosted a webinar on breaking into narrative journalism with panelists Jane C. Hu, a freelance writer based in Seattle; Brady Huggett, the enterprise editor at Spectrum; and Pamela Weintraub, the senior editor for science and psychology at Aeon and the co-editor in chief of OpenMind magazine. This article rounds up the some key takeaways from the webinar. "Hu shared her experience researching, pitching and getting funding for these character-rich, complicated stories. Huggett and Weintraub talked about the hard work that goes into editing them. All three offered valuable advice to freelancers."
Science writing example

Battle of the Ash Borer

CASW

Matthew Miller’s story about scientists’ efforts to slow the spread of the emerald ash borer won an AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award in 2015. The story focuses on research and conservation efforts in Lansing, Michigan, where the Lansing State Journal is based.
Science writing example

The Quantum Source of Space-Time

CASW

Ron Cowen’s story about the entanglement of fundamental particles won an award from the American Institute of Physics in 2016. The story profiles researchers whose discoveries helped to connect quantum mechanics and the study of gravity. Cowen is a freelance science writer who specializes in physics and astronomy.
Science writing example

The Ultimate Sacrifice

CASW

This story by Ann Gibbons covers research into human sacrifice, spanning different locations and research teams. Gibbons, who was a contributing correspondent for Science magazine at the time, won a National Academies Keck Future Initiative Communication award in 2013 for the story.
Science writing example

What Happened to the Poster Children of OxyContin?

CASW

This story — one in a series on financial conflicts of interest in medical research — was part of a package that won CASW’s Victor Cohn Prize in 2013 for John Fauber, who has been the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s medical reporter since 1996. As of 2019, Ellen Gabler is an investigative reporter at The New York Times.
Conference

Science Journalists Association of India Conference 2023

Science Journalists Association of India (SJAI)

"The Science Journalists Association of India (SJAI) is delighted to announce its inaugural conference - a one-of-its kind symposium bringing together science journalists, communicators, scientists, technologists and policymakers with a shared purpose: To shape the future of science journalism in India. We invite journalists, communicators, students, scientists and researchers to join us this November and become a part of a crucial conduit that brings together the intricacies of science and the curiosity of the public."
Blog

Covering Health: Monitoring the pulse of health care journalism

AHCJ

Covering Health is a blog run by the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ). Its contents include reporting tipsheets, articles about specific health topics, interviews with journalists about their work, updates from AHCJ's leadership, and more. The blog is free to read, AHCJ membership not required.
Resource Database / Guide

Finding diverse sources for science stories

The Open Notebook has compiled a number of resources and strategies that reporters can use to ensure their stories include more diverse voices, and are more accurate and complete as a result. "Strategies for finding diverse sources can include drawing on publicly available scientist databases, social media accounts and hashtags, affinity organizations in STEM, sources, colleagues, public information officers, expert-referral services, and online discussion groups. We also suggest ways for editors to support reporters’ efforts to include more diverse sources, including by creating a newsroom culture that welcomes collaborative discussion about diversity (in sourcing and other respects), by setting and tracking goals, and by encouraging and concretely supporting reporters’ sourcing efforts."
Resource Database / Guide

Know your research: Helping journalists understand academic research

This section from The Journalist's Resource features articles and tipsheets about reporting on scientific research. Topics covered include understanding research methods, finding and recognizing high-quality research, avoiding missteps when reporting on new studies, and more. New articles are added to the section every few weeks.
Resource Database / Guide

Diverse Databases: 100+ databases featuring talent from underrepresented groups

Editors of Color

"As we move toward a more equitable world, every industry is going to need new networks and resources to help them connect with talented people of color. In the spirit of this shared goal, Editors of Color is pleased to provide links to other databases of diverse talent." The list includes diverse sources in science, health, tech, political science, and much more.
Source database

Disabled Writers database

Disabled Writers

"Our goal is to promote paid opportunities for multiply marginalized members of the disability community, and to encourage editors and journalists to think of disabled people for stories that stretch beyond disability issues. This resource is specifically designed to help editors connect with disabled people working in journalism, or trying to break into the field. It also includes disabled experts who are available to serve as sources, such as attorneys, physicians, social workers, artists, and others with professional experience or education that makes them expert sources in their fields."
Source database

Diverse Sources: Science, health, and environment experts available on deadline

"Diverse Sources is a searchable database of underrepresented experts in the areas of science, health and the environment. Anyone who considers themselves underrepresented and is willing to respond to journalists on deadline is encouraged to join (including but not limited to ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, language, mental health experience, nationality, physical abilities, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, etc.)."
Source database

NPR Diverse Sources Database

National Public Radio (NPR)

"The Diverse Sources Database is NPR’s resource for journalists who believe in the value of diversity and share our goal to make public radio look and sound like America. Originally called Source of the Week, the database launched in 2013 as a way help journalists at NPR and member stations expand the racial/ethnic diversity of the experts they tap for stories." This database is maintained by the NPR Training team, who note that checking LinkedIn and/or Twitter for a source's current affiliation may be helpful before reaching out.
Article

5 tips for using PubPeer to investigate scientific research errors and misconduct

"PubPeer, a website where researchers critique one another’s work, has played a key role in helping journalists uncover scientific misconduct in several prominent investigative stories in recent years — including the student newspaper series that led to Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s recent resignation." This story offers tips to help journalists use PubPeer for story ideas.
Article

How extreme heat affects human health: A research roundup

This tip sheet from The Journalist's Resource focuses on who's at most risk from the effects of climate change. "Studies show that extreme heat can affect most people, particularly vulnerable populations like children, older adults and outdoors workers. We round up recent studies that shed light on how warming temperatures due to climate change are affecting various populations."
Video

Media briefing: Psychedelic drug therapies

SciLine, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

"Some U.S. states are legalizing, decriminalizing, or funding research into therapeutic uses of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs. Several others are considering doing so. SciLine’s media briefing covered the latest research on uses of psychedelics to manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and depressive disorders, as well as the risks, barriers, and potential for misuse of psychedelic drug therapies. Three panelists made brief presentations and then took questions on the record."
Organization

EurekAlert! – Science news service

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

"EurekAlert! is a nonprofit news-release distribution platform operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as a resource for journalists and the public. EurekAlert! hosts news releases produced by universities, journal publishers, medical centers, government agencies, corporations, and other organizations engaged in all disciplines of scientific research. News releases must meet EurekAlert!'s longstanding eligibility guidelines in order to be accepted and hosted on the website."
Video

Media briefing: Extreme heat update

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), SciLine

"Dangerous and record-breaking heat continues to afflict multiple regions of the United States. At SciLine’s media briefing, scientists updated reporters on the health impacts of extreme-heat exposure; approaches to protecting public health during a heat wave; the role of climate change in the current heat situation; and forecasts for the future. A panel of experts made brief presentations and then took questions on the record."
Workshop

Science essentials for local reporters

SciLine, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

This free, one-hour “crash course” — designed specifically for local and general assignment reporters — teaches basic principles about how science works and ways it can be used to strengthen virtually any news story. Former longtime Washington Post science reporter Rick Weiss and Ph.D. neuroscientist Tori Espensen cover do’s, don’ts, and pitfalls to watch for when including science in your news reporting. This course is offered periodically throughout the year; check the link for the next offering.
Conference

American Association for the Advancement of Science: Annual Meeting 2024

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

The AAAS Annual Meeting is one of the largest science conferences in the world. As such, it typically draws many science journalists and communicators who cover meeting talks and participate in networking events, such as the Kavli Awards reception. About the 2024 meeting, AAAS President and Chair Keith Yamamoto writes: "The Annual Meeting theme, Toward Science Without Walls, will explore the consequences of barriers that currently fragment our community, separating us by discipline, approach, institution, nation, access, wealth, seniority, race, and gender. We will consider solutions, and envision a seamless ecosystem that would drive more innovative, equitable, rapid, open science and technology."
Video

Covering contaminated sites in your community

SEJ

"Most of us have a contaminated site near us, but without reporters playing a watchdog role these sites often languish for decades, potentially impacting the health of community members. In this webinar, investigative journalist Jordan Gass-Pooré provides tips on the ways journalists can report on contaminated sites by incorporating local voices who have been personally impacted by the pollution that created the contaminated sites, and the knowledge of experts who lay out how future extreme weather events fueled by climate change may threaten to further spread that pollution if clean-up is not done quickly and thoroughly." Links to a video recording, chat log, and slides are available.
Podcast

Opinion Science: The science communication podcast series

Opinion Science

Opinion Science is a podcast exploring the science behind our opinions, where they come from, and how they change, hosted by social psychologist, Andy Luttrell. In the summers of 2022 and 2023, Opinion Science featured conversations with science communicators, covering how they got into science communication, their approach to conveying research findings in an engaging way, and what you can do to be a more effective communicator. Guests include Joss Fong, David McRaney, Daniel Pink, Steve Rathje, Melinda Wenner Moyer, Siri Carpenter, and Latif Nasser.