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Topic: Best practices
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Article

Eight Tips From Environmental Reporters in Covering Climate Crisis

"Eight environmental reporters across the U.S. described how they cover the climate crisis in these days where the media space is overloaded with unverified information and social distrust is growing. Some of these journalists have been working on the beat for just a few years, others for 25 years. The reporters gave advice for those who have just entered or may be thinking of entering into this growing field of climate journalism."
Article

Eight Tips From Environmental Reporters in Covering Climate Crisis

Summary:
"Eight environmental reporters across the U.S. described how they cover the climate crisis in these days where the media space is overloaded with unverified information and social distrust is growing. Some of these journalists have been working on the beat for just a few years, others for 25 years. The reporters gave advice for those who have just entered or may be thinking of entering into this growing field of climate journalism."
Author:

Nikita Ponomarenko

Published By:

Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute

Date:

July 7, 2025

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Article

Science Writing and Story Structures

Erika Hayasaki writes from the 2024 National Association of Science Writers conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering resources and books from one of the panel discussions, plus "seven story structures that can be useful for thinking about longform pieces, as well as links to a few examples of each style."

Article

Science Writing and Story Structures

Summary:

Erika Hayasaki writes from the 2024 National Association of Science Writers conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering resources and books from one of the panel discussions, plus "seven story structures that can be useful for thinking about longform pieces, as well as links to a few examples of each style."

Author:

Erika Hayasaki

Date:

November 10, 2024

Category:
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Article

Risk Journalism: A Guide to Clear Reporting on Any Topic

"This guide is designed for journalists who cover stories about risks in any sector: health, environment, artificial intelligence etc. You will identify the concepts that will help you explain, for example, why false flood alarms occur, the pros and cons of installing a nuclear plant in a certain area, or the uncertainty of a study that finds a particular diet increases the risk of developing cancer."

Article

Risk Journalism: A Guide to Clear Reporting on Any Topic

Summary:

"This guide is designed for journalists who cover stories about risks in any sector: health, environment, artificial intelligence etc. You will identify the concepts that will help you explain, for example, why false flood alarms occur, the pros and cons of installing a nuclear plant in a certain area, or the uncertainty of a study that finds a particular diet increases the risk of developing cancer."

Date:

October 21, 2024

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Article

Covering Health Misinformation: What Journalists Need to Rethink

"Journalists and public health experts shared 12 strategies for building trust, using careful language and improving coverage of health misinformation during a workshop at the Association of Health Care Journalists' annual conference."
Article

Covering Health Misinformation: What Journalists Need to Rethink

Summary:
"Journalists and public health experts shared 12 strategies for building trust, using careful language and improving coverage of health misinformation during a workshop at the Association of Health Care Journalists' annual conference."
Author:

Naseem S. Miller

Published By:

The Journalist’s Resource

Date:

June 17, 2025

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Academic program

Science Writing I: Online Class at UCLA Extension

"Learn what it takes to translate scientific concepts and discoveries into prose that readers can understand and enjoy." Amber Dance, an award-winning freelance science writer based in Southern California, teaches an introduction to science writing at UCLA Extension — evenings PT. Next class will be Winter 2026. Email to receive notification when the class goes live.
Academic program

Science Writing I: Online Class at UCLA Extension

Summary:
"Learn what it takes to translate scientific concepts and discoveries into prose that readers can understand and enjoy." Amber Dance, an award-winning freelance science writer based in Southern California, teaches an introduction to science writing at UCLA Extension — evenings PT. Next class will be Winter 2026. Email to receive notification when the class goes live.
Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Resource Center – Global Investigative Journalism Network

Global Investigative Journalism Network

"GIJN’s Resource Center is here to help journalists expand their knowledge and skills. The Center holds more than 2,000 items in 14 languages – from tip sheets and guides to instructional videos. Use the menu on the right to navigate it or the search box below to find topics you’re interested in."

Resource Database / Guide

Resource Center – Global Investigative Journalism Network

Summary:

"GIJN’s Resource Center is here to help journalists expand their knowledge and skills. The Center holds more than 2,000 items in 14 languages – from tip sheets and guides to instructional videos. Use the menu on the right to navigate it or the search box below to find topics you’re interested in."

Organization:

Global Investigative Journalism Network

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Tip Sheet: Designing Science Graphics

"It’s tempting to proclaim that visual languages are more universal than spoken and written languages, and that the very act of presenting information in the form of a drawing instead of words makes it more accessible. But that’s not necessarily the case." "From initial exploratory sketches to the final product, creating a science graphic is a process."
Resource Database / Guide

Tip Sheet: Designing Science Graphics

Summary:
"It’s tempting to proclaim that visual languages are more universal than spoken and written languages, and that the very act of presenting information in the form of a drawing instead of words makes it more accessible. But that’s not necessarily the case." "From initial exploratory sketches to the final product, creating a science graphic is a process."
Author:

Jen Christiansen

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

February 7, 2023

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Article

What’s Peer Review? 5 Things You Should Know Before Covering Research

"Is peer-reviewed research really superior? Why should journalists note in their stories whether studies have been peer reviewed? We explain."
Article

What’s Peer Review? 5 Things You Should Know Before Covering Research

Summary:
"Is peer-reviewed research really superior? Why should journalists note in their stories whether studies have been peer reviewed? We explain."
Author:

Denise-Marie Ordway

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

May 8, 2021

Category:
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Article

White Papers, Working Papers, Preprints, Journal Articles: What’s the Difference?

"In this updated piece, we explain the most common types of research papers journalists will encounter, noting their strengths and weaknesses."
Article

White Papers, Working Papers, Preprints, Journal Articles: What’s the Difference?

Summary:
"In this updated piece, we explain the most common types of research papers journalists will encounter, noting their strengths and weaknesses."
Author:

Denise-Marie Ordway

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

February 25, 2022

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Article

How To Gauge the Quality of a Research Study: 13 Questions Journalists Should Ask

"Asking these questions can help journalists gauge the quality of a research study or report and avoid relying on flawed findings."
Article

How To Gauge the Quality of a Research Study: 13 Questions Journalists Should Ask

Summary:
"Asking these questions can help journalists gauge the quality of a research study or report and avoid relying on flawed findings."
Author:

Denise-Marie Ordway

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

March 21, 2025

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Resources to help journalists cover the 2024 US election

The Journalist's Resource

"All year, journalists all over the United States have been hard at work covering the 2024 election. The Journalist’s Resource team has been hard at work, too, creating resources to help you cover the news in the lead-up to Election Day and beyond. Here’s a collection of the election-related tip sheets, research roundups and explainers we’ve published this year so far."
Resource Database / Guide

Resources to help journalists cover the 2024 US election

Summary:
"All year, journalists all over the United States have been hard at work covering the 2024 election. The Journalist’s Resource team has been hard at work, too, creating resources to help you cover the news in the lead-up to Election Day and beyond. Here’s a collection of the election-related tip sheets, research roundups and explainers we’ve published this year so far."
Organization:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

October 16, 2024

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Insights and practical considerations for communicating basic science

Kavli Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy

This report provides "a synthesis of five years’ worth of themes, takeaways, tips, and new questions to explore going forward for basic scientists, science communicators, communications trainers, social science researchers, and more." It summarizes discussions from the Science Public Engagement Partnership, a collaboration between the Kavli Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Resource Database / Guide

Insights and practical considerations for communicating basic science

Summary:
This report provides "a synthesis of five years’ worth of themes, takeaways, tips, and new questions to explore going forward for basic scientists, science communicators, communications trainers, social science researchers, and more." It summarizes discussions from the Science Public Engagement Partnership, a collaboration between the Kavli Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Organization:

Kavli Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy

Date:

October 17, 2024

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

The Public Health Communicators Guide to Misinformation

Public Health Communications Collaborative

"Building continued trust in public health requires communicators to learn how to identify false narratives and respond with clarity, accurate information, and accessible language. This guide, developed by the Public Health Communications Collaborative in partnership with the Infodemiology Training Program, provides foundational insights into the current misinformation landscape and an overview of tools for assessing risk and determining responses."
Resource Database / Guide

The Public Health Communicators Guide to Misinformation

Summary:
"Building continued trust in public health requires communicators to learn how to identify false narratives and respond with clarity, accurate information, and accessible language. This guide, developed by the Public Health Communications Collaborative in partnership with the Infodemiology Training Program, provides foundational insights into the current misinformation landscape and an overview of tools for assessing risk and determining responses."
Organization:

Public Health Communications Collaborative

Date:

September 18, 2024

Category:
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Article

Mpox: An explainer and research roundup

"A handful of researchers tried to notify the international community about a brewing problem with mpox, but their reports went mostly unnoticed until an outbreak in the United Kingdom in May 2022." This piece, first published in 2022, was updated in August 2024 given new alerts and emergency declarations from the U.S. CDC, Africa CDC, and World Health Organization.
Article

Mpox: An explainer and research roundup

Summary:
"A handful of researchers tried to notify the international community about a brewing problem with mpox, but their reports went mostly unnoticed until an outbreak in the United Kingdom in May 2022." This piece, first published in 2022, was updated in August 2024 given new alerts and emergency declarations from the U.S. CDC, Africa CDC, and World Health Organization.
Author:

Naseem S. Miller

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

August 13, 2024

Category:
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Workshop

EurekAlert! webinars for journalists

EurekAlert!, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

EurekAlert!, the science press release service from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is offering a new webinar series for students and early-career science journalists to help these EurekAlert! members make the most of the service. The first webinar, focused on embargoes, took place on August 30 and will repeat monthly after that.
Workshop

EurekAlert! webinars for journalists

Summary:
EurekAlert!, the science press release service from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is offering a new webinar series for students and early-career science journalists to help these EurekAlert! members make the most of the service. The first webinar, focused on embargoes, took place on August 30 and will repeat monthly after that.
Organization:

EurekAlert!, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Dates:

Category:
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Article

Trauma-informed journalism: What it is, why it’s important and tips for practicing it

"Experts and journalists who have researched and worked with trauma survivors say that practicing trauma-informed journalism not only leads to better, more accurate stories, but also helps protect survivors from further harm." This explainer and tip sheet is based on a review of several reliable sources on trauma-informed reporting and interviews with Elana Newman of the Dart Center, and Tamara Cherry, founder of Pickup Communications PR agency, both experts who focus on this area.
Article

Trauma-informed journalism: What it is, why it’s important and tips for practicing it

Summary:
"Experts and journalists who have researched and worked with trauma survivors say that practicing trauma-informed journalism not only leads to better, more accurate stories, but also helps protect survivors from further harm." This explainer and tip sheet is based on a review of several reliable sources on trauma-informed reporting and interviews with Elana Newman of the Dart Center, and Tamara Cherry, founder of Pickup Communications PR agency, both experts who focus on this area.
Author:

Naseem S. Miller

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

April 13, 2022

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Article

Why this matters: How to cover health disparities more effectively

A new study from researchers at Cornell University found that how health disparities were framed in news articles had an impact on readers' perceptions of their risks. AHCJ spoke with Jeff Niederdeppe, Ph.D., who led the research, about this work and "what journalists can do to improve their coverage of health disparities while thinking about the impact their language has on readers."
Article

Why this matters: How to cover health disparities more effectively

Summary:
A new study from researchers at Cornell University found that how health disparities were framed in news articles had an impact on readers' perceptions of their risks. AHCJ spoke with Jeff Niederdeppe, Ph.D., who led the research, about this work and "what journalists can do to improve their coverage of health disparities while thinking about the impact their language has on readers."
Author:

Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Published By:

Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ)

Date:

July 5, 2024

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Article

The state of science reporting in today’s digital media landscape: A survey of journalists and scientists who use SciLine’s expert matching service

SciLine, University of Texas at Austin

SciLine, based at AAAS, and the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin collaborated on a survey of journalists and scientists who use SciLine's service matching these two professional groups for news stories. The survey results reveal lessons for journalists and scientists about how the groups can better work together in doing media interviews. For example, "this relationship may be improved by setting clear expectations regarding scientists’ limited influence over the story."
Article

The state of science reporting in today’s digital media landscape: A survey of journalists and scientists who use SciLine’s expert matching service

Summary:
SciLine, based at AAAS, and the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin collaborated on a survey of journalists and scientists who use SciLine's service matching these two professional groups for news stories. The survey results reveal lessons for journalists and scientists about how the groups can better work together in doing media interviews. For example, "this relationship may be improved by setting clear expectations regarding scientists’ limited influence over the story."
Organization:

SciLine, University of Texas at Austin

Author:

Anthony Dudo, Josh Anderson, Ashlee Bunshee

Date:

June 13, 2024

Category:
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Book

Engaging With the Press: A Guide for Perplexed Readers and Sources

"We train scientists and health professionals to collect and analyze evidence. Yet we’re far less intentional about equipping them to credibly communicate it in an increasingly skeptical and fragmented world." This resource, by veteran news executive Richard J. (Dick) Tofel, aims to address this challenge by preparing scientists, health professionals, and other sources of the news media to better understand the world of journalism and how they can engage with it. It describes the motivations of reporters, editors, and publishers; how material from sources is received; challenges for readers and sources, and more.
Book

Engaging With the Press: A Guide for Perplexed Readers and Sources

Summary:
"We train scientists and health professionals to collect and analyze evidence. Yet we’re far less intentional about equipping them to credibly communicate it in an increasingly skeptical and fragmented world." This resource, by veteran news executive Richard J. (Dick) Tofel, aims to address this challenge by preparing scientists, health professionals, and other sources of the news media to better understand the world of journalism and how they can engage with it. It describes the motivations of reporters, editors, and publishers; how material from sources is received; challenges for readers and sources, and more.
Author:

Richard J. (Dick) Tofel

Published By:

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Center for Health Communication

Date:

June 17, 2024

Category:
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Article

Research highlights need for public health approach in news reporting of gun violence

A May 2024 study, published in BMC Public Health, examines local television news clips covering gun violence. The study "reveals an overwhelming reliance on law enforcement narratives, missing deeper insights into the root causes and potential solutions to gun violence." This article unpacks those findings and offers recommendations for journalists covering gun violence as a public health issue.
Article

Research highlights need for public health approach in news reporting of gun violence

Summary:
A May 2024 study, published in BMC Public Health, examines local television news clips covering gun violence. The study "reveals an overwhelming reliance on law enforcement narratives, missing deeper insights into the root causes and potential solutions to gun violence." This article unpacks those findings and offers recommendations for journalists covering gun violence as a public health issue.
Author:

Naseem S. Miller

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

June 25, 2024

Category:
For:
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Article

Covering extreme heat

Covering Climate Now

"In addition to being obviously uncomfortable, extreme heat is a public health issue." This guide, an issue of Covering Climate Now's biweekly newsletter, includes reporting tips, story examples, and resources for covering extreme heat. A Spanish/español version is also available.
Article

Covering extreme heat

Summary:
"In addition to being obviously uncomfortable, extreme heat is a public health issue." This guide, an issue of Covering Climate Now's biweekly newsletter, includes reporting tips, story examples, and resources for covering extreme heat. A Spanish/español version is also available.
Organization:

Covering Climate Now

Published By:

Locally Sourced - newsletter

Date:

June 18, 2024

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Conference

Communicating Discovery Science – International symposium

Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University

This symposium, sponsored by the Kavli Foundation, "aims to deepen understanding of effective public engagement around Discovery Science, also known as basic or foundational science, by exploring ways to improve the practice of communicating Discovery Science, share insights and create a supportive community for scientists and science communication practitioners focused on basic science."
Conference

Communicating Discovery Science – International symposium

Summary:
This symposium, sponsored by the Kavli Foundation, "aims to deepen understanding of effective public engagement around Discovery Science, also known as basic or foundational science, by exploring ways to improve the practice of communicating Discovery Science, share insights and create a supportive community for scientists and science communication practitioners focused on basic science."
Organization:

Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University

Location:

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Dates:

November 18, 2024 - November 20, 2024

Category:
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Book

50 Essentials on Science Communication

"This handy and entertaining book provides the basics of goal-oriented science communication. It is aimed at career-building scientists and anyone who wants to take their first steps in the field of science communication. Experienced international authors in the field share their essential thoughts on important aspects of contemporary science communication."
Book

50 Essentials on Science Communication

Summary:
"This handy and entertaining book provides the basics of goal-oriented science communication. It is aimed at career-building scientists and anyone who wants to take their first steps in the field of science communication. Experienced international authors in the field share their essential thoughts on important aspects of contemporary science communication."
Author:

Jean Paul Bertemes, Serge Haan, Dirk Hans

Published By:

De Gruyter Mouton

Date:

March 18, 2024

Category:
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Article

Journalists should report on lax oversight of research data, says data sleuth

Behavioral scientist Uri Simonsohn shares his thoughts on how journalists can improve their coverage of academic fraud and misconduct. Simonsohn, who coauthors the Data Colada blog (https://datacolada.org/), urges reporters to ask researchers about preregistration and expose opportunities for fraud.
Article

Journalists should report on lax oversight of research data, says data sleuth

Summary:
Behavioral scientist Uri Simonsohn shares his thoughts on how journalists can improve their coverage of academic fraud and misconduct. Simonsohn, who coauthors the Data Colada blog (https://datacolada.org/), urges reporters to ask researchers about preregistration and expose opportunities for fraud.
Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

May 14, 2024

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Resource Database / Guide

Tip sheet: Tapping wastewater surveillance — the next big source of public health data — in your reporting

This tip sheet shares resources and reporting tips from a lightning talk that Betsy Ladyzhets gave at the 2024 Association of Health Care Journalists conference. Ladyzhets discussed where to find wastewater surveillance data, how to interpret it, and types of stories you can do based on wastewater surveillance data, whether you're covering COVID-19 or another health threat.
Resource Database / Guide

Tip sheet: Tapping wastewater surveillance — the next big source of public health data — in your reporting

Summary:
This tip sheet shares resources and reporting tips from a lightning talk that Betsy Ladyzhets gave at the 2024 Association of Health Care Journalists conference. Ladyzhets discussed where to find wastewater surveillance data, how to interpret it, and types of stories you can do based on wastewater surveillance data, whether you're covering COVID-19 or another health threat.
Author:

Betsy Ladyzhets

Date:

June 8, 2024

Category:
For:
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