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Topic: Journalism and communication practice
Video

How Can Open Science Practices Increase Trust In Research?

Shorenstein Center / The Journalist's Resource

"The open science movement is changing the way research is published, providing new methods of dissemination and evaluation like preprints and open review that are accelerating the pace and transparency of science. At the same time, these new, more open methods of communicating science threaten to expose the publication process to bad actors keen on weaponizing science for political purposes, spreading misinformation, or publishing junk research to advance their careers. This panel brings together representatives from each stage of open science, from active researchers to open publishing platform developers and journalists for a frank discussion of how each part of the publishing process must adapt to make sure open science advances not just science itself, but society’s understanding of, trust in, and willingness to invest in research."
Podcast

How To Cover Science Under Trump

Undark

"In this episode [of the Entanglements podcast], hosts Brooke Borel and Anna Rothschild talk to Tom Zeller Jr., Undark’s editor-in-chief, about covering science under the Trump administration."
Article

Covering Null Results: How To Turn “Nothing” Into News

"Null results — the lack of evidence in support of a hypothesized effect — can often be dismissed as unnoteworthy, even by scientists themselves. But sometimes, the absence of an effect in a well-designed experiment can challenge existing thinking or have important policy, health, or other implications for readers."
Podcast

Covering the Climate Community, With Waqas Ejaz of the Reuters Institute

"Policymakers, scientists and even disruptive protest groups all largely want the same thing: to save the planet. They just go about it in different ways — here is how the media fits in."
Resource Database / Guide

Tip Sheet: Co-Creating Science Stories With Your Audience

CASW Connector

On Sunday, November 8, 2024, CASW Connector hosted a hybrid session at the ScienceWriters2024 meeting that introduced science writers to audience engagement practices. The CASW team co-created the session itself with its audience, using an online survey and posterboards at the meeting to collect input from ScienceWriters2024 attendees about their experience talking to and engaging with their readers, as well as their questions about audience engagement. The session included brief presentations from several speakers with experience in reporting projects informed by their audiences. Breakout groups gave attendees the opportunity to discuss different aspects of engagement. The session was live-streamed for virtual participants. Speakers included:
  • Celeste LeCompte, CASW board member and independent consultant
  • Betsy Ladyzhets, CASW Connector community manager and editor at The Sick Times
  • Jena Brooker, environment and food reporter at BridgeDetroit
  • Melba Newsome, independent journalist and professor at Wake Forest University
  • Kelly Kauffman, engagement journalist at MuckRock
  • Dillon Bergin, data reporter at MuckRock
Check out the link for the presentations and report-backs from the breakout sessions.
Article

When Prestige Trumps Quality in Science Reporting

"In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly and scientific credibility is under constant scrutiny, the choices science journalists make about which studies to cover matter more than ever. Journal reputation, impact factors and perceived prestige often shape these decisions – but at what cost to diversity, accuracy and public trust in science? To explore how reporters navigate these reputation-driven cues, Technology Networks spoke with Alice Fleerackers, PhD, assistant professor of journalism and civic engagement in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, whose work examines how journalists assess the trustworthiness of scientific journals. Fleerackers sheds light on the hidden dynamics behind science reporting, the risks of over-relying on prestige and how critical research literacy could reshape the future of science communication."
Article

“I’d Like To Think I’d Be Able To Spot One”: How Journalists Navigate Predatory Journals

"Predatory journals—or journals that prioritize profits over editorial and publication best practices—are becoming more common, raising concerns about the integrity of the scholarly record. Such journals also pose a threat for the integrity of science journalism, as journalists may unwillingly report on low-quality or even highly flawed studies published in these venues. This study sheds light on how journalists navigate this challenging publishing landscape through a qualitative analysis of interviews with 23 health, science, and environmental journalists from Europe and North America about their perceptions of predatory journals and strategies for ensuring the journals they report on are trustworthy. We find that journalists have relatively limited awareness and/or concern about predatory journals. Much of this attitude is due to confidence in their established practices for avoiding problematic research, which largely centre on perceptions of journal prestige, reputation, and familiarity, as well as writing quality and professionalism. Most express limited awareness of how their trust heuristics may discourage them from reporting on smaller, newer, and open access journals, especially those based in the Global South. We discuss implications for the accuracy and diversity of the science news that reaches the public."
Organization

Michigan Science Communicators

"The Michigan Science Communicators (MiSC) is a regional group of science communicators associated with the National Association of Science Writers (NASW). Through networking, development and other events, we help science writers advance their professional skills. We aim to promote accurate, accessible and ethical science writing as well as foster the understanding of science and technology to society. We host virtual and in-person events for science writers, organized by volunteer team."
Video

Science Writing on Substack

D.C. Science Writers Association (DCSWA)

On Sept. 18, 2025, the D.C. Science Writers Association (DCSWA) held a webinar on how to use Substack for sharing news about science, medicine, health and technology. "A panel of leading science writers and communicators provided insight about how they got started on Substack and are using the platform to share news with followers."
Academic program

Stanford Course Empowers Students To Communicate Science to the Public

This Stanford University science communication course, which ran in Spring 2025, is scheduled again for 2026. The course aims to equip researchers with "essential skills such as podcasting, storyboarding, and leveraging social media to engage non-scientists."
Article

How To Cover Environmental Exposure Studies

"Journalists play a big role in which risks get amplified versus downplayed, for better or worse. We are best poised to help the public determine what they should and shouldn’t freak out about. ... This tip sheet discusses best practices specifically for writing about environmental exposure studies."
Article

Weaving Indigenous Science Into Reported Stories

"Indigenous science — which can be briefly defined as knowledge gathered systematically by Indigenous peoples and shared across generations — is deeply interwoven with ecology, astronomy, and medicine, among other fields often deemed 'Western' science. Yet journalists, alongside mainstream scientists, have not historically recognized the value and importance of Indigenous expertise. Including Indigenous sources who are experts in both Western and Indigenous science (sometimes called “two-eyed seeing”) can help synthesize those perspectives in your piece."
Article

Handy AI Tools for Science Writers

"AI is being integrated into newsrooms and into the lives of journalists. Of course, AI is also entering freelancing, including scientific writing. Here are some tools that can help lighten the load and increase your efficiency, while retaining the human element of our craft."
Article

Where Science Journalism and Communication Converge, and What It Means for Trust

"Stagnant freelance rates have pushed some established journalists toward better-paying communication roles. Meanwhile, a new generation of creators often blends both disciplines from the outset in a media landscape with fewer specialized jobs. This convergence raises questions about journalistic independence, ethical boundaries, and how audiences can distinguish between impartial reporting and paid messaging — especially as social media platforms become primary sources of information."
Organization

Brazilian Network of Science Journalists and Communicators

"RedeComCiência is a non-profit organization which gathers professionals and enthusiasts interested in debating and improving the quality of science communication in Brazil."
Article

Storytelling for Scientists: When You Need It and What To Do

This article delves into "the general properties of science storytelling, its limitations and downsides, and then a little about specific tactics for creating different types of science content – from posters to presentations." Although, "a scientific article does not necessarily have to be a story. Its main purpose is different. Storytelling is just a tool, and it should be used wisely. You don’t have to try to make storytelling out of every article!"
Article

Teaching Writing Skills in Online Paleontology and Evolution Courses

"Though foundational knowledge and technical skills are frequently and rightfully emphasized in biology curricula, transferrable skills, including writing, are under-prioritized to the detriment of biology graduates and to the scientific field. In an effort to target this gap, we designed assessments in online paleontology and evolution courses to foster critical analysis, synthesis, and written communication skills among students. The aim of this paper is to introduce three writing assessments applicable to courses throughout the biology curriculum for learning paleontology and evolution."
Podcast

How To Break Into Science Journalism

Essaypro Educational Podcasts

"In this inspiring conversation, we sit down with Sofia Quaglia — an award-winning freelance science journalist whose work has appeared in top publications worldwide. Drawing from her experience navigating the competitive world of science writing, Sofia shares insider tips on how to break into science journalism, build your portfolio, pitch compelling stories, and thrive as a freelancer. Whether you’re a student, a budding reporter, or a professional looking to transition into science communication, this episode is packed with actionable advice, personal stories, and behind-the-scenes insights into what it takes to make it in this fascinating field."
Training program

Sample Course Syllabus: Introduction to Science Writing

The Open Notebook

"Science journalists often learn the tricks of the trade by trial and error. But we firmly believe the basics of covering science, and covering it well, can also be taught. Whether you’re officially enrolled or a student at heart, this free resource rounds up years of insights from The Open Notebook into an easy-to-reference sample course syllabus. The syllabus tackles 12 topics that, all together, provide a foundational introduction to science writing. Each module includes recommended readings, discussion questions, assignments, and more."
Blog

PLOS SciComm

PLOS (Public Library of Science)

The #SciCommPLOS blog aims "to build bridges between scientists and the general public, by explaining why science is cool and important and meaningful and necessary. We hope to convey our enthusiasm for science as a process and a way of seeing the world. Our two major goals are:
  • to highlight interesting and impactful science in accessible ways, and
  • to teach scientists about the art of storytelling as an effective means to communicate science."
Article

A Roadmap to Resources for Reporting on Drugs

"Creating a guide to help journalists shift from drug war framing to a health-centered approach."
Article

How Clear and Simple Data Visualizations Bring the Climate Crisis Home

"Data visualizations are some of the most powerful tools in a climate science communicator’s playbook. The most famous have taken on enormous symbolic value — like the 'Hockey Stick' graph showing rising temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere since the year 1000. But designing climate visuals that are clear to the public and policy makers is not a straightforward task. ... There is growing evidence that more intuitive visualizations, informed by psychological research, can help people make better sense of climate data." See multiple examples of visuals.
Article

Science Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

"Artificial Intelligence, and particularly generative AI that produces novel outputs based on user prompts fundamentally impacts science communication. It can assist practitioners in generating content or identifying new ideas and trends, translating and preparing scientific results and publications for different channels and audiences, and enabling interactive exchanges with various user groups. It also comes with pronounced challenges, from errors and 'hallucinations' in AI outputs over new digital divides all the way to ethical and legal concerns. The Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research assessing the role of AI in science communication, discussing communication about AI, communication with AI, the impact of AI technologies on the larger science communication ecosystem and potential theoretical and methodological implications."
Article

Finding the Most Valuable Stories in the Heart of Science Papers

"Research papers are at the forefront of the scientific process, and science writers are vital in bridging the gap between researchers and a wider audience. On 26th June, at the ABSW Science and Technology Journalism Summer School 2025, ABSW Chair Andy Extance held a workshop inviting Emma Stoye (Senior News Editor, Nature), Sarah Wild (Freelance Science Journalist), Dalmeet Singh Chawla (Freelance Science Journalist) to discuss how science journalists can navigate the science publishing landscape to find the most valuable stories within academic papers, using meaningful examples."
Mentor program

Association of Science Communicators’ Mentorship Program

Association of Science Communicators

"In 2025, the ASC Mentorship Program is transitioning into a full-fledged annual program.
We are looking for SciComm professionals of all careers and fields to be mentors. And we are looking for early and developing career people to be mentees, especially those that don't have other traditional routes of mentorship and training.
Time commitment is a minimum of 1-3 hours a month from September to April. We are looking for our amazing mentors and mentees to apply by July 31."