Interviews about traumatic experiences can be daunting for any journalist, and may risk distressing the source. Yet many science stories, from medical investigations to disaster reporting, require such testimonies—be it to show the human impact of an event or to resolve conflicting accounts. Learning to conduct these interviews ethically is an important skill for every science journalist, and can result in richer and more accurate stories.
Reporters regularly receive feedback in the form of line edits on story drafts. But broader input on one’s overarching writing quality can be tough to glean from editors. Getting this kind of big-picture assessment from editors can help journalists identify problematic patterns in their writing, understand how to craft their stories to better match a publication’s style, and set more ambitious goals for their next pieces. Here’s how to ask for broad feedback on your writing.
When a Chinese scientist revealed in November 2018 that twin babies had been born with genes he had edited using CRISPR gene-editing technology, science reporters jumped on the story. In this Storygram, we depart from our usual format to look closely at not one but two stories, one by Marilynn Marchione for The Associated Press and the other by Antonio Regalado for MIT Technology Review, that reported the CRISPR-babies news in the U.S.
Mainstream media often face challenges when reporting on tribal communities. Indigenous journalist Debra Utacia Krol offers advice on reporting in Indigenous communities and on the intersection of Indigenous cultural practices and Western science. Learn where to find accurate, unbiased information on Native ecological practices for research purposes, identify Indigenous experts who are acknowledged for their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and examine best practices in engaging with occasionally reluctant tribal sources.
Eli Chen reports on scientific research and environmental issues at St. Louis Public Radio. Her work has appeared in or aired on NPR, Marketplace, WHYY’s The Pulse, The New York Times, Science Friday, and Scientific American. Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, her role model growing up was Sue the T. rex at the Field Museum, because everyone should aspire to become an apex predator.
Many science writers today have a beat—a defined area of research that they cover, such as astronomy, energy, the environment, or health. The best beat reporters become the go-to writers in these fields, get scoops, and provide deep dives into new developments. Here’s a look at the tools they use to sort through the chaos and find newsworthy stories.
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