Every story is a science story. From education and public health to transportation and local policy, science intersects with every beat journalists cover. And yet, many journalists—especially those outside science beats—lack the training, time, or support to confidently integrate scientific evidence, data, and perspectives into their work and to evaluate potential misinformation. The Science Reporting Navigator is built specifically for journalists on any beat who want quick, reliable guidance for stories that touch on science and data.
Created in partnership with the Reynolds Journalism Institute, the Navigator is a free, interactive toolkit that gives journalists instant access to practical guidance, expert-informed lessons, and downloadable tools. Whether they’re covering sports, politics, crime, or anything else, the Navigator helps reporters incorporate scientific evidence into their stories clearly, accurately, and on deadline.
Choose from Six Scenario-Based Learning Paths…
Choose your path based on the story you’re working on—whether you’re covering a fast-moving public health emergency, investigating a longstanding environmental issue in your community, vetting a science-related claim made by a public official, or something else. Our learning paths will walk you through a series of lessons designed to point you to the specific advice and resources you need. This is the fastest way to get practical, story-specific support—especially helpful when you’re working against the clock.
…Or Explore Dozens of Accessible, Bite-Sized Lessons
We’ve gathered the same material from the learning paths described above into dozens of short, accessible lessons, organized around 10 themes, so you can dive into topics such as reading scientific papers, finding scientist sources, reporting on controversy without amplifying misinformation, or critically evaluating claims—to name just a few.
Look Inside
Below, explore a few screenshots from the Science Reporting Navigator.
More Handy Resources
Downloadable Tools
We’ve pulled together email templates, interview question lists, tip sheets, and more—all of them ready to use and customize for your story.
Glossary of Terms
From “confidence interval” to “statistical significance,” this searchable glossary offers plain-language definitions of technical terms as they come up in lessons.
Who the Navigator Is For
We built the Science Reporting Navigator for journalists of all backgrounds and beats, especially those working outside of science-specific roles. It’s for:
- Local and community reporters covering any beat, from public safety to education to immigration to infrastructure (or anything else)
- Politics and policy journalists assessing government proposals
- Freelancers and generalists who need support without newsroom resources
- Student and early-career reporters building foundational skills
- Editors and mentors looking to support their teams
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it’s for journalists on any beat, whether or not they have a background in science, health or environmental reporting.
No, you can just get started.
No, like everything else at The Open Notebook, the Science Reporting Navigator is completely free.
Yes! We offer a variety of resources to assist local journalists, including a community of practice for local and general-assignment reporters, a brown-bag series for local newsrooms, and a library of articles and tip sheets focused on challenges that journalists may face in covering science at the local level.
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About This Project
The Science Reporting Navigator was created through a partnership between The Open Notebook and the Reynolds Journalism Institute to help journalists integrate more science directly into their daily work.
Learn more about The Open Notebook.
Meet the team that developed this project.