Bringing accurately research information to lay audience
Introduction
Bringing Science to society has become an important issue in research endeavours. Informed societies on research-based evidence data are becoming crucial in the era of digital information (and mis-information). However, research outcomes, mainly research articles, as they are produced, are neither easy to understand for lay audience, nor the most appealing pieces for reading or even accessible.
The enterprise of science communication is a societal need, and many researchers engage with different forms of science communication, but due to the volume of work and the need of a certain level of specialization, since a few decades ago, professionalization of this activity has aroused. Nowadays, scientific journalists is an established job profile in the labour market.
Scientific journalists are professionals who bring accurately research information to lay audience. There are many types of scientific journalists. One possible classification of the different types of scientific journalists is depending on their employment status: staff or freelance. This classification not only shapes their working conditions, but also some of their main tasks, especially the way they interact with the editors . Journalist can work for newspapers, magazines or for journalistic agencies . Freelances can publish in many different types of sources, usually being paid a flat fee or per word . Freelance scientific journalists tend to specialize on a topic to build a credible and a strong portfolio. Although they can always choose what they write about, they strive to write relevant, interesting and appealing news for the audience that they are aiming at.
Scientific journalists write different types of pieces . News and features are the main two types of journalisms products. News are short writing pieces covering a novel research discovery, while features cover more in depth topics not necessarily recently published.
Practice case
Ready to get a taste of what the work of a scientific journalist could look like?
Try the REBECA Practice Case for scientific journalist. Remember, this practice case does not prepare you to become a scientific journalist, only it aids you to better decide if this is your type of profession.
After completing the case, please do the reflection exercises; it will help you to clarify what you have experienced and take decisions about your career.
Requisites to perform this practice case
None.
Who are you?
Let's imagine you are a freelance scientific journalist. For a while, you have been playing with the idea to do a little research on a topic, and write something more in depth…it has been a while since you last published a feature.
Selecting the topic for a future report is not an easy task. The topic must be relevant to society or to the audience you are writing for. Remember, something is not just relevant because it is important, but because it affects or is linked to events happening at the time of your report's release.
Imagine you want to write about something relevant for the region you currently live or where you are originally from.
ACTION: Search in local newspaper, the regional section of a newspaper or social media, and select a topic related with your expertise that you think will interest your chosen audience.
For example, in a specific region, farmers are using water sources from a protected natural park. This has led to strong disagreements among sectorial organizations, environmentalists, and local and national governments. This topic could be connected to the broader issue of exploiting limited water resources due to climate change.
TIP FROM THE EXPERT: Here is a resource that can help you determine whether the topic you find interesting could develop into a compelling feature.
Another source of inspiration for deciding on a topic is embargoed articles.
NOTE: Press embargoed articles are pre-released information about articles that are soon to be published. Scientific journals provide platforms with abstracts or full versions of these embargoed articles, allowing journalists and other audiences to preview upcoming research. The release or publication of this information is prohibited (embargoed) until a specified date and time. To access the full text of these embargoed articles, you need to be an accredited journalist. This privileged access enables journalists to prepare news stories in advance and publish them immediately once the embargo is lifted.
ACTION: From the following lists of embargoed articles, select the article you want to write about
TIP FROM THE EXPERT: If you are covering scientific news, embargoed articles and press releases from universities and research institutions are key sources of information.
You found your topic, great! It is time to do research. You, as a researcher, can understand the science behind the relevant topic that you have selected, but you may not know all the details in-depth, and you need to find the research-based evidence that support what you are going to write.
ACTION: Make a list of 2-3 reliable articles that will support your manuscript.
Is peer review, well fundamental research enough to support what you are writing? ... Probably not. There´s nothing like enriching your manuscript with statements and explanations from experts about the matter. It will also enhance your understanding and perspective, and hopefully, add novelty to your work. You need to interview other experts to support what you are writing. You can also interview experts to understand better details of the research articles that you do not fully understand. You may also want to depict a bigger picture, and create a story collecting the perspective of other relevant stakeholders, like local government, affected people, etc, this will increase the relatedness with the audience.
ACTION: Make a list of 3 experts or stakeholders that are relevant for your manuscript.
Interviewing experts is a specific skill of journalism. What do you want from the authors and experts? What statements can add on towards what it is already published? Now, think about the stakeholders, if you have selected a stakeholders affecting or deciding about a topic, what questions would you make to increase understanding and relatedness with potential readers?
ACTION: Make a list with 2 questions that you will ask to other experts
Make a list with 2 questions that you will ask to other non-scientific stakeholders (if any)
TIP FROM THE EXPERT: If you want to advance your knowledge on the skill of interviewing, please read this article.
You need to invite your experts for the interview. Why would they accept to be interviewed? Scientists tend to avoid polemics, while at the same time are keen to bring their knowledge to society. How would you convince an expert to be interviewed?
NOTE: To convince them to be interviewed, explain him or her what you will ask them, why it is important, where you are going to publish the information, what is the quality assurance of your manuscript, who else is going to be interviewed… among other arguments.
ACTION: Write an email of invitation to interview the expert explaining them your topic, and who you are.
By now, you probably have the outline of your story. Now you need to select which magazine, specialized journal or newspaper you think it fits to publish . Are you aiming for the news section of a research journal? Or, instead, at a science section of a newspaper? These are the type of elements you need to find out in order to have success in publishing your report. You will also need to find out if the scope and interest of the magazine, newspaper, agency fit with your material.
ACTION: Read some of the publications of the sections of a research journal for lay or more general research audience. Do the same with a science section of a newspaper.
It is time to convince the editor…but how do you find this contact? You can check in the submission webpage of journals, but most of these sections are commissioned… Have al look at the Nature or Science specialized journals
ACTION: Find an email to direct to in case of you decide to publish your manuscript in.
NOTE: Remember, you are not submmiting a regular scientific article
Ok, you managed to get the contact. Now, you need to convince the editor that your written material is worth publishing. It is time to write the pitch of your manuscript.
The aim of the pitch is to convince the editor that your report it is going to be interesting for the audience, the added value of your publication instead of their covered news by editors-in-house or commissioned authors, but also it is about who you are, and why you are a reliable source. Here you have some guidelines for writing a pitch.
ACTION:
- Write a few sentences summarising your topic, what is supporting your main message and who is interviewed.
- Then, write a few sentences why it is relevant for the audience of the magazine, what is the added value.
- Finally write a few sentences explaining your portfolio of published reports (Only for this practice: have fun and invent this last part about your persona! )
… then finger-cross, and wait for their reply.
NOTE: Even if you are working as an employee in a newspaper or in a scientific news agency, you will also need to pitch your manuscript, but this time to the editorial boards.
The same roles of pitching for an editor apply to editorial boards: the topic must be relevant for the time being and relevant for society, and of interest for your audience. However, there is no need to support your pitch with your portfolio, and the tone of pitching is lower.
TIP FROM THE EXPERT: If your manuscript gets invited to published, do not emotionally attach too much to it; you will be about to start a series of revision cycles that can change substantially the first sent manuscript, but, the final product will be better for sure.
Finally, it is time to write the final document. For this practice case, try only to write the Headline and the Lead of your selected topic.
Here you can have some indications:
- Headline must be concise, clear, attractive.
- Lead must answer the following question: What, When, Who, Where, and Why.
- News and reports are always accompanied by a picture. An image that fits best what the message of your topic.
Here you have an example.
ACTION: Write the headline and lead of your manuscript, and select a picture to accompany it.
You,ve made it!!! Your report is out, but… how and when are you going to be paid by the journal or newspaper?
In this practice case we have not practised this aspect of this profession, but it is very important one.
ACTION: Make a bill with the agreed cost and send it to the journal or newspaper.
NOTE: Be sure to archive your bills correctly, once in a while you will have to comply with your tax duties.
END
Acknowledgements
This practice case has been created thanks to the input of two scientific journalists:
- Ignacio Amigo de la Huerga. Freelance scientific journalist, Spain
- Enrique Sacristán Lopez. Scientific journalist at SINC Agency, FECYT, Spain
They also validated this case after its development.
Guided reflection
After this experience, we suggest you reflect on the following questions:
- Did you find the practice case easy or difficult to accomplish?
- What was the most engaging task for you? Was it difficult or easy?
- What was the most challenging task for you? Did you enjoy performing it? Would you see yourself getting better at it?
- Have you found something new about this profession? What was it? Did it surprise you? Did you like it or dislike it?
- Do you feel like contacting a scientific journalist in your network and research a little bit about the profession? Where would you find it?
Further information
If you want to know more on the profession, or specialised training information, check the:
You can also follow some of our recommendations to explore careers beyond academia.