Before abortion was legal across the United States, underground networks of women—such as the Jane Collective in Chicago—worked secretly to help end unwanted pregnancies. They used herbs, pills surgical procedures [CORRECTED 9-4-18], and homemade devices […]
In 1974, science journalists from nine European countries met in Salzburg, Austria, to discuss the future of the field. It didn’t take long for a major divide to appear. Britain and Switzerland saw science […]
Confusing jargon, complicated methodologies, and nuances of statistical interpretation aren’t the typical ingredients for a gripping story. But they are for science journalists, who often need to bring dense or esoteric topics to life […]
At 10:19 a.m. on August 21, 2017, the Portland newsroom of The Oregonian was nearly empty. It’s not that there wasn’t work to do. On the contrary, it was one of the paper’s busiest […]
Every year, about 700 to 900 American women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. And for every death, dozens more suffer life-threatening complications. It’s a shockingly high toll of maternal harm for a […]
As a business and lifestyle reporter, Arizona-based freelance journalist Alaina Levine never expected a newspaper ad about spiders to play a key role in her journalism career. But in 2012, it landed her a story […]
Most every freelancer has gotten stuck with a low-paying assignment or two (or, let’s be real—probably more than a few). While poor pay is often an unavoidable part of freelancing, low pay rates aren’t […]
Some of Melinda Wenner Moyer’s first features may not be as widely recognized as her award-winning stories in Scientific American or Slate. Instead, they can be found in Pitt Med, the quarterly magazine of […]
In 2012, ProPublica reporter Marshall Allen came across a staggering statistic: The U.S. health care system wastes an estimated $765 billion each year. That’s about a quarter of the total amount spent on health care […]
While many traditional print publications struggle to stay afloat, new all-digital science magazines are launching, and some online outlets are expanding their health and science desks. These outlets are bringing stories about science to […]
When freelance science journalist Tara Haelle first started writing about medical studies, she admits she had no clue what she was doing. She quoted press releases and read only study abstracts—practices that make most […]
In June, dozens of protesters with disabilities stormed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office in response to Medicaid cuts that were part of a proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Headlines and striking […]
Seeking to Awe: An “Oops!” Story
Nailing the Nut Graf
Trading the Pipette for the Pen: Transitioning from Science to Science Writing
Nidhi Subbaraman Uncovers a Story of Medical Neglect—and of Useful Anger—on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation
Pitching Errors: How Not to Pitch
Is Anyone Out There? Sourcing News Stories
Ask TON: Who Should Trim Long Drafts?
Linda Nordling Probes the Transformation of South African Science
Lizzie Presser Reveals the Underground Work of Home-Abortion Providers
How to Ace a 300-Word Story: An Interview with Roy Peter Clark
Do You Need a Science Degree to Be a Science Reporter?
Asking for More: Negotiating Rates for Freelance Assignments
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