✍️Science Writing News Roundup #160
5 tips for using PubPeer to investigate scientific research errors and misconduct + 7 tips for better coverage of climate change.
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📩Resources
Expert advice helps journalists navigate unfamiliar scientific seas: Tori Espensen — a neuroscientist now designing trainings for reporters and scientists — and Rick Weiss, a former longtime Washington Post science reporter, developed the crash course “Science Essentials for Local Reporters” to help reporters who cover science-related topics but who don’t have deep backgrounds in science.
7 tips for better coverage of climate change: Climate experts and journalists at the Aspen Ideas: Climate summit arrive at these lessons for reporters and editors.
5 tips for using PubPeer to investigate scientific research errors and misconduct: PubPeer, a website where scholars critique one another’s work, is an excellent investigative reporting tool. These five tips will help you make the best use of it.
3 tips to read research papers quickly and accurately: Anyone who's worked in journalism will know the feeling — you're on a deadline, but the story you're working on involves looking through science or research papers. How can you make sure you're accurate? What's the best way to get your head around things quickly?
🖨️Articles
Writing effectively and engagingly about complex science topics can sometimes feel like a dark art. The Open Notebook, a free and open online resource, shares the behind-the-scenes of science writing. Here is a conversation with Siri Carpenter on writing, generative AI and the future of science journalism.
Getting political: Reporting on policy as a science journalist. Almost every science story has the potential to also be a political story. But science writers aren’t always familiar with political minutiae, legalese, and thorny regulatory issues. And heated political rhetoric can make it tough to separate scientific fact from distortions or even outright lies.
Science journalist: More evidence supports ‘spillover’ COVID-19 origin than lab leak. Jon Cohen is a long-time infectious disease reporter and a senior correspondent for Science Magazine. He has written more than 100 deeply reported stories about all aspects of SARS-CoV-2.
How to write on the internet (& keep doing it). Niko McCarty reflects on what he’s learned about writing words on the Internet (so far.)
🎞️Videos
NASA Astrobiology PAWS #14: Science Journalism feat. Dr. Nadia Drake. Dr. Nadia Drake, physics editor of Quanta Magazine, answered questions about her path into science journalism, how scientists can be better resources to science journalists, and how we can learn more about science journalism and build up our science journalism skillsets.
🔊News
John D. Sutter wins Sharon Begley Award for Science Reporting: John D. Sutter, an independent science and environmental journalist and filmmaker whose remarkable documentaries and investigative reporting have taken audiences to the front lines of the climate crisis, has been selected as the winner of the 2023 Sharon Begley Award for Science Reporting.
🎨Opportunities
Want to help tackle disinformation? Train your community to stop the spread of false information. ICFJ is now accepting applications for this “training of trainers” opportunity from individuals in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Be part of Climate Tracker’s COP28 Asia Squad! Are you passionate about climate reporting and eager to engage Asian perspectives on climate action? 2023 is a pivotal year for Asia’s global leadership on climate change and Climate Tracker is looking for fellows from the region to join their global COP28 team!
Apply now to host an Ag & Water Desk journalist with Report for America: The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk invites newsrooms throughout the region to apply to host one of 10 new reporting positions through Report for America.
Calls for pitches to write about extreme heat, science, technology, and more. 👉Bonus content for monthly supporters.
🥞Events
Registration open for ScienceWriters2023—the annual gathering for professionals in science news. Online programming begins Sept. 26, and in-person programming will be held Oct. 6-10. In need of financial support to attend in person or online? Learn more and apply for an attendance grant by August 10.
More events 👉Bonus content for monthly supporters.
🔍Jobs
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