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Topic: Tips and tools
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Resource Database / Guide

Science Reporting Quick Tips — The Open Notebook & SciLine

SciLine, The Open Notebook

"To cover science well, journalists have to enter the scientific world a bit themselves, by reading research papers, interviewing scientists, and evaluating evidence. Whatever your background, these are concrete skills that any journalist can sharpen. To pave the way, The Open Notebook and SciLine have teamed up to distill key science reporting skills into a series of quick-hit resources for journalists with deadlines to meet." The series includes tip sheets on finding expert scientific sources, finding and including diverse sources, making sense of scientific studies, and stats terms for covering science.
Resource Database / Guide

Science Reporting Quick Tips — The Open Notebook & SciLine

Summary:
"To cover science well, journalists have to enter the scientific world a bit themselves, by reading research papers, interviewing scientists, and evaluating evidence. Whatever your background, these are concrete skills that any journalist can sharpen. To pave the way, The Open Notebook and SciLine have teamed up to distill key science reporting skills into a series of quick-hit resources for journalists with deadlines to meet." The series includes tip sheets on finding expert scientific sources, finding and including diverse sources, making sense of scientific studies, and stats terms for covering science.
Organization:

SciLine, The Open Notebook

Category:
For:
VISIT
Resource Database / Guide

GIJN Guide to Investigating Extreme Heat

"The negative effects of higher temperatures can be seen everywhere, offering many opportunities for investigative journalism." This guide from the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) provides potential topics to cover, story angles, many story examples, resources, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

GIJN Guide to Investigating Extreme Heat

Summary:
"The negative effects of higher temperatures can be seen everywhere, offering many opportunities for investigative journalism." This guide from the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) provides potential topics to cover, story angles, many story examples, resources, and more.
Author:

Toby McIntosh

Published By:

Global Investigative Journalism Network

Date:

September 3, 2024

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Article

What journalists need to know when covering extreme weather and climate change

The NPR Climate Desk put together this bulleted list of ready-to-use, sourced (to NPR articles) bullet points about climate change, organized by topic. Many are from the latest National Climate Assessment.
Article

What journalists need to know when covering extreme weather and climate change

Summary:
The NPR Climate Desk put together this bulleted list of ready-to-use, sourced (to NPR articles) bullet points about climate change, organized by topic. Many are from the latest National Climate Assessment.
Published By:

National Public Radio (NPR)

Date:

July 23, 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:

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Article

How investigative journalists can fight back against health misinformation

The panel "Mis- and Disinformation about Health is Killing Us. What Should Journalists Be Doing about It?" presented at the 2024 International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, explored how certain industries are exploiting a vacuum of trusted health information to misinform and disinform the public about their products and policies. Moderated by Pulitzer Center senior editor Susan Ferriss and featuring Will Fitzgibbon of The Examination; Chrissie Giles, deputy editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism; and Mia Malan, founder and editor-in-chief of the South Africa-based Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, the panelists "discussed their experiences working on impactful investigations and shared advice for journalists who want to cover health issues but don’t know where to start."
Article

How investigative journalists can fight back against health misinformation

Summary:
The panel "Mis- and Disinformation about Health is Killing Us. What Should Journalists Be Doing about It?" presented at the 2024 International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, explored how certain industries are exploiting a vacuum of trusted health information to misinform and disinform the public about their products and policies. Moderated by Pulitzer Center senior editor Susan Ferriss and featuring Will Fitzgibbon of The Examination; Chrissie Giles, deputy editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism; and Mia Malan, founder and editor-in-chief of the South Africa-based Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, the panelists "discussed their experiences working on impactful investigations and shared advice for journalists who want to cover health issues but don’t know where to start."
Author:

Serdar Verdar

Published By:

Global Investigative Journalism Network

Date:

June 10, 2024

Category:
For:
VISIT
Resource Database / Guide

A freelancer’s guide to reporting on climate change

"For freelance journalists, reporting on environmental issues and climate change is a chance to cover a diverse range of stories, places, and characters with an opportunity to build data, multimedia, and storytelling skills to better engage audiences... In this guide you will learn to help audiences connect with the subject of climate change; learn how environmental issues overlap with everyday events or trending topics; and learn to connect the dots globally." The guide, published by the European Journalism Centre, is available in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish.
Resource Database / Guide

A freelancer’s guide to reporting on climate change

Summary:
"For freelance journalists, reporting on environmental issues and climate change is a chance to cover a diverse range of stories, places, and characters with an opportunity to build data, multimedia, and storytelling skills to better engage audiences... In this guide you will learn to help audiences connect with the subject of climate change; learn how environmental issues overlap with everyday events or trending topics; and learn to connect the dots globally." The guide, published by the European Journalism Centre, is available in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish.
Published By:

European Journalism Centre

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For:
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Newsletter

Climate on the Ballot newsletter

Covering Climate Now

The Climate on the Ballot newsletter, from Covering Climate Now, is delivered every Monday and covers a topic to help journalists integrate climate into their newsroom’s campaign reporting. It is also available in Spanish here: https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us/el-clima-en-la-boleta/
Newsletter

Climate on the Ballot newsletter

Summary:
The Climate on the Ballot newsletter, from Covering Climate Now, is delivered every Monday and covers a topic to help journalists integrate climate into their newsroom’s campaign reporting. It is also available in Spanish here: https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us/el-clima-en-la-boleta/
Organization:

Covering Climate Now

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Article

Five tips for better coverage of the climate crisis

"There is consensus that climate journalism should be accurate, well-sourced, and reflect complexity and uncertainty as appropriate... But what about the huge range of audiences around the world? And the plethora of different platforms, types of reporting (issue-driven or event-driven), and varieties of media organization?" This article goes over five criteria that the authors suggest as a starting point for identifying quality climate journalism. These are: "1) relevance to audiences; 2) out of the environment box; 3) potential solutions; 4) multimodal reporting; and 5) from global to local."
Article

Five tips for better coverage of the climate crisis

Summary:
"There is consensus that climate journalism should be accurate, well-sourced, and reflect complexity and uncertainty as appropriate... But what about the huge range of audiences around the world? And the plethora of different platforms, types of reporting (issue-driven or event-driven), and varieties of media organization?" This article goes over five criteria that the authors suggest as a starting point for identifying quality climate journalism. These are: "1) relevance to audiences; 2) out of the environment box; 3) potential solutions; 4) multimodal reporting; and 5) from global to local."
Author:

James Painter, Shannon Osaka

Published By:

Nieman Reports

Date:

October 28, 2019

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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For:
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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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Workshop

AI Spotlight Series workshops & webinars

Pulitzer Center

The Pulitzer Center's AI Spotlight Series "will offer three 'tracks' of virtual trainings to address the gaps we’ve heard about from journalists and to fit into their busy schedules: one track for reporters on any desk, one for reporters focused on covering AI or wanting to deepen their knowledge of AI reporting, and one for editors commissioning stories and thinking strategically about their team’s overall coverage." Trainings are scheduled throughout 2024 and into 2025. Visit the website for full listings and to register.
Workshop

AI Spotlight Series workshops & webinars

Summary:
The Pulitzer Center's AI Spotlight Series "will offer three 'tracks' of virtual trainings to address the gaps we’ve heard about from journalists and to fit into their busy schedules: one track for reporters on any desk, one for reporters focused on covering AI or wanting to deepen their knowledge of AI reporting, and one for editors commissioning stories and thinking strategically about their team’s overall coverage." Trainings are scheduled throughout 2024 and into 2025. Visit the website for full listings and to register.
Organization:

Pulitzer Center

Dates:

Category:
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Article

Seven lessons for journalism in the age of extreme heat

"Extreme heat is harming our societies. From children forced to stay away from school and agricultural workers struggling out in the field, to increased demand for electricity and health services, countries are not set up to deal with extreme heat in a warming world. ... "For journalists and newsrooms, this regular rhythm of extreme heat means that we can also prepare our coverage, in the same way we plan the coverage of elections, Olympic Games or the awards season. This idea ... was at the heart of our 2024 Oxford Climate Journalism Network Annual Event: Journalism in the Age of Extreme Heat. ... This is some of what we learned."
Article

Seven lessons for journalism in the age of extreme heat

Summary:
"Extreme heat is harming our societies. From children forced to stay away from school and agricultural workers struggling out in the field, to increased demand for electricity and health services, countries are not set up to deal with extreme heat in a warming world. ... "For journalists and newsrooms, this regular rhythm of extreme heat means that we can also prepare our coverage, in the same way we plan the coverage of elections, Olympic Games or the awards season. This idea ... was at the heart of our 2024 Oxford Climate Journalism Network Annual Event: Journalism in the Age of Extreme Heat. ... This is some of what we learned."
Author:

Greg Cochrane, Diego Arguedas Ortiz, Katherine Dunn

Published By:

Reuters Institute

Date:

May 21, 2024

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Resource Database / Guide

Disinformation Resource List — Floodlight & Drilled

Drilled, Spotlight

This tipsheet, compiled for a session at the 2024 Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) conference, shares an extensive list of resources for reporting on climate disinformation. The tipsheet's authors write: "There are so many different flavors of climate disinformation out there, and especially in an election year when climate is on the ballot it can feel overwhelming to sort through it all. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite resources for checking sources, following the money, and sorting fact from fiction. "
Resource Database / Guide

Disinformation Resource List — Floodlight & Drilled

Summary:
This tipsheet, compiled for a session at the 2024 Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) conference, shares an extensive list of resources for reporting on climate disinformation. The tipsheet's authors write: "There are so many different flavors of climate disinformation out there, and especially in an election year when climate is on the ballot it can feel overwhelming to sort through it all. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite resources for checking sources, following the money, and sorting fact from fiction. "
Organization:

Drilled, Spotlight

Date:

April 7, 2024

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Data for wildfire investigations

NICAR

In this tipsheet from a session at the NICAR 2024 conference, journalists provide tools and tips for "reporting on the entire wildfire prevention and control ecosystem, which spans dozens of agencies at federal, state and local levels, billions of dollars and sometimes (often) unfathomably cumbersome bureaucracy." The tipsheet includes reporting tips, data sources, document suggestions, and more. An audio recording of the session is also available at: https://resources.ire.org/audio/20240308-30538.mp3
Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Data for wildfire investigations

Summary:
In this tipsheet from a session at the NICAR 2024 conference, journalists provide tools and tips for "reporting on the entire wildfire prevention and control ecosystem, which spans dozens of agencies at federal, state and local levels, billions of dollars and sometimes (often) unfathomably cumbersome bureaucracy." The tipsheet includes reporting tips, data sources, document suggestions, and more. An audio recording of the session is also available at: https://resources.ire.org/audio/20240308-30538.mp3
Organization:

NICAR

Author:

Adiel Kaplan, Veronica Penney, Emily Zentner

Date:

March 28, 2024

Category:
For:
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Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Data and accountability on the climate change beat

NICAR

In this tipsheet from a session at the NICAR 2024 conference, journalists describe how to use data and documents to report on environmental issues. The tipsheet includes example FOIA requests, data sources, story links, and more. An audio recording of the session is also available at this link.
Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Data and accountability on the climate change beat

Summary:
In this tipsheet from a session at the NICAR 2024 conference, journalists describe how to use data and documents to report on environmental issues. The tipsheet includes example FOIA requests, data sources, story links, and more. An audio recording of the session is also available at this link.
Organization:

NICAR

Author:

Clayton Aldern, Dillon Bergin, Savanna Strott, Emily Zentner

Date:

March 28, 2024

Category:
For:
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Video

Tools for environmental reporting & Should we all be environmental reporters?

International Center for Journalists

In this webinar, journalists Crystal Chow from the International Journalists' Network and Mais Katt from the Environmental Investigative Forum discuss how coverage of environmental issues intersects with different international communities and beats. The event was part of a series preparing for COP27.
Video

Tools for environmental reporting & Should we all be environmental reporters?

Summary:
In this webinar, journalists Crystal Chow from the International Journalists' Network and Mais Katt from the Environmental Investigative Forum discuss how coverage of environmental issues intersects with different international communities and beats. The event was part of a series preparing for COP27.
Organization:

International Center for Journalists

Date:

November 15, 2022

Category:
For:
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Video

Wastewater surveillance for detecting COVID-19

The People's CDC

"On August 10, The People’s CDC hosted Marc Johnson. He led us through a webinar on the importance of wastewater data and how it can aid the continued monitoring of COVID-19 pandemic." Johnson is a microbiologist and immunologist at the University of Missouri who leads the state's wastewater surveillance program and conducts research. He discussed how wastewater samples are collected and analyzed, how to understand the resulting data, and more. A video recording and transcript of the webinar are available.
Video

Wastewater surveillance for detecting COVID-19

Summary:
"On August 10, The People’s CDC hosted Marc Johnson. He led us through a webinar on the importance of wastewater data and how it can aid the continued monitoring of COVID-19 pandemic." Johnson is a microbiologist and immunologist at the University of Missouri who leads the state's wastewater surveillance program and conducts research. He discussed how wastewater samples are collected and analyzed, how to understand the resulting data, and more. A video recording and transcript of the webinar are available.
Organization:

The People's CDC

Date:

August 11, 2023

Category:
For:
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Article

Covering obesity: 6 tips for dispelling myths and avoiding stigmatizing news coverage

"Dozens of academic studies spotlight problems in news coverage of obesity. To help journalists reflect on their work and make improvements, we asked seven experts for advice."
Article

Covering obesity: 6 tips for dispelling myths and avoiding stigmatizing news coverage

Summary:
"Dozens of academic studies spotlight problems in news coverage of obesity. To help journalists reflect on their work and make improvements, we asked seven experts for advice."
Author:

Denise-Marie Ordway

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

January 10, 2024

Category:
For:
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Article

How to cover academic research fraud and errors

This tipsheet shares a video recording and key takeaways from a webinar that The Journalist's Resource hosted on November 30, 2023. The event featured Ivan Oransky, Elisabeth Bik and Jodi Cohen, three experts who all have experience covering, monitoring, and detecting research misconduct.
Article

How to cover academic research fraud and errors

Summary:
This tipsheet shares a video recording and key takeaways from a webinar that The Journalist's Resource hosted on November 30, 2023. The event featured Ivan Oransky, Elisabeth Bik and Jodi Cohen, three experts who all have experience covering, monitoring, and detecting research misconduct.
Author:

Denise-Marie Ordway

Published By:

The Journalist's Resource

Date:

December 5, 2023

Category:
For:
Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Pursuing investigative stories as a science writer

This tipsheet, from a session at the ScienceWriters 2023 meeting, shares tips and resources for pursuing investigative stories on science topics. The session featured several esteemed investigative reporters talking about how they produced notable stories. The panelists discussed finding story ideas, filing public records requests, working with scientific research, considering libel risk, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

Tipsheet: Pursuing investigative stories as a science writer

Summary:
This tipsheet, from a session at the ScienceWriters 2023 meeting, shares tips and resources for pursuing investigative stories on science topics. The session featured several esteemed investigative reporters talking about how they produced notable stories. The panelists discussed finding story ideas, filing public records requests, working with scientific research, considering libel risk, and more.
Author:

Betsy Ladyzhets, Priyanka Runwal

Date:

October 9, 2023

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Body Politic’s comprehensive guide to covering long COVID

Body Politic, USC Annenberg

"After a year of writing about long COVID, interviewing patients, and being interviewed myself, I created a comprehensive guide for journalists covering the long-term symptoms of COVID-19," author Fiona Lowenstein writes in an accompanying article at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism's website. "To understand more about what we can learn from the past, I talked with veteran health journalists David Tuller, Linda Villarosa, and Julie Rehmeyer, as well as New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay, who is recovering from long COVID. I also spoke with patients and activists to learn more about how patients want reporters to tell their stories."
Resource Database / Guide

Body Politic’s comprehensive guide to covering long COVID

Summary:
"After a year of writing about long COVID, interviewing patients, and being interviewed myself, I created a comprehensive guide for journalists covering the long-term symptoms of COVID-19," author Fiona Lowenstein writes in an accompanying article at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism's website. "To understand more about what we can learn from the past, I talked with veteran health journalists David Tuller, Linda Villarosa, and Julie Rehmeyer, as well as New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay, who is recovering from long COVID. I also spoke with patients and activists to learn more about how patients want reporters to tell their stories."
Organization:

Body Politic, USC Annenberg

Author:

Fiona Lowenstein

Date:

August 16, 2021

Category:
For:
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Video

A journalist’s guide to CCS greenwashing at COP28: Tips for covering carbon capture

DeSmog

"What is carbon capture and storage, why will it be a hot topic at COP28, and how can journalists cover it better? Join DeSmog editors and reporters to find out!" This video is a recording of a webinar on November 13, 2023, in which expert journalists share recommendations for covering carbon capture and storage. They focused on "tips for avoiding pitfalls and misleading fossil fuel industry narratives."
Video

A journalist’s guide to CCS greenwashing at COP28: Tips for covering carbon capture

Summary:
"What is carbon capture and storage, why will it be a hot topic at COP28, and how can journalists cover it better? Join DeSmog editors and reporters to find out!" This video is a recording of a webinar on November 13, 2023, in which expert journalists share recommendations for covering carbon capture and storage. They focused on "tips for avoiding pitfalls and misleading fossil fuel industry narratives."
Organization:

DeSmog

Date:

November 27, 2023

Category:
For:
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Workshop

Using ChatGPT for Communications

Methods for Change, Institute for Methods Innovation

"Join us for an immersive workshop series that explores the transformative potential of ChatGPT in enhancing communication strategies and content creation. Whether you’re a science communicator, marketer, content creator, or social media enthusiast, this workshop is designed to equip you with the skills to leverage ChatGPT for creating captivating narratives for videos, engaging social media content, and impactful communication materials such as posters and infographics."
Workshop

Using ChatGPT for Communications

Summary:
"Join us for an immersive workshop series that explores the transformative potential of ChatGPT in enhancing communication strategies and content creation. Whether you’re a science communicator, marketer, content creator, or social media enthusiast, this workshop is designed to equip you with the skills to leverage ChatGPT for creating captivating narratives for videos, engaging social media content, and impactful communication materials such as posters and infographics."
Organization:

Methods for Change, Institute for Methods Innovation

Location:

Virtual

Dates:

January 17, 2024

Category:
For:
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Article

How to report on physics and physicists in an accurate and accessible way

Institute of Physics (IOP)

"You as journalists can have life-changing impacts on those reading, watching or listening. To help, the IOP has produced a guide and a handy checklist to help ensure that your coverage of physics steers clear of entrenched stereotypes and instead presents an accurate representation of our subject and who does it. Our guide is packed with advice, plus we have a toolkit including sources for quotes, tips for inclusive language and links to physics explanations, along with other resources too."
Article

How to report on physics and physicists in an accurate and accessible way

Summary:
"You as journalists can have life-changing impacts on those reading, watching or listening. To help, the IOP has produced a guide and a handy checklist to help ensure that your coverage of physics steers clear of entrenched stereotypes and instead presents an accurate representation of our subject and who does it. Our guide is packed with advice, plus we have a toolkit including sources for quotes, tips for inclusive language and links to physics explanations, along with other resources too."
Organization:

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Published By:

IOP: Limit Less

Date:

February 1, 2023

Category:
For:
VISIT
Resource Database / Guide

Sci Comm Resources — Dan Vahaba

Dan Vahaba is the director of communications at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. He compiled this Google doc full of science writing resources, including articles and books to read, tips about how to pitch, conferences, academic journals, newsletters, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

Sci Comm Resources — Dan Vahaba

Summary:
Dan Vahaba is the director of communications at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. He compiled this Google doc full of science writing resources, including articles and books to read, tips about how to pitch, conferences, academic journals, newsletters, and more.
Author:

Dan Vahaba

Category:
For:
VISIT