Writing Science Article It is possible - and sometimes it is informative - to include scientific

Introduction terms in reports, as long as they are explained immediately in words your
audience can understand.
Science writing means writing about science, medicine, and
technology for general readers. It appears in magazines and newspapers, in B. Use concrete words where possible
popular books, on the walls of museums, on television or radio programs, and People understand solid, concrete things which they can feel, smell,
on the internet. see, touch, taste or hear. Because much of science is about ideas, where
Its practitioners worry as much about how to tell the story of science as possible you should explain the scientist's abstract ideas in concrete words
the science itself—and yet, in maddening paradox, as much about the your ordinary readers or listeners can understand.
science as its telling. Science writing tackles big ideas, important issues. It’s
ambitious, creative, hard to do—yet utterly compelling. C. Do not overload with figures
It is this dual nature that writers in Science Writing always seeks to Do not overload your stories with large numbers or lots of figures. In
foster. The need for men and women who can lucidly interpret and explain many cases, especially at the start of a story, you should round figures off to
science to the wider public has never been greater. Modern technological make them simpler to understand.
society leaves a widening gap between citizens and wielders of scientific
expertise. D. Write brightly
It is this dual nature that writers in Science Writing always seeks to Your audience will not like long boring explanations. This is especially
foster. The need for men and women who can lucidly interpret and explain true in radio, where the listeners can quickly grow tired of concentrating on
science to the wider public has never been greater. Modern technological lots of facts and figures. So you should develop a bright style of writing.
society leaves a widening gap between citizens and wielders of scientific As we have already discussed, keep your words clear and simple. Do
expertise. not use too many scientific terms and explain them in simple words.
Keep your sentences short and simple. Try to limit the important ideas
Some simple rules in writing about science and health to one (or two at the most) per sentence

A. Understand the jargon E. Enjoy the challenge. Write with enthusiasm and this will show
Scientific names and technical terms (sometimes called jargon) are itself in your stories.
necessary for scientists. It enables them to speak more accurately to one Do not, however, mistake shallow writing for bright writing. However
another about things they have in common. If a surgeon told his assistant to lively your writing style, you still need to explain the essential facts properly.
cut "the big tube" during an operation, all sorts of mistakes could happen. Simply telling your readers or listeners how "wonderful" or how "awful"
Instead, the surgeon might talk about a patient's "aorta" or "vena cava", so something is does not make proper journalism. If a scientist gives you some
that there was no mistake. facts which amaze you, it is not enough to tell your audience that you were
Remember, you are the bridge between the scientists and the readers amazed. You should present those facts in terms your readers or listeners
or listeners. Where possible, you should explain the jargon in language your can understand - and perhaps they too will be amazed.
audience will understand. To do this, you will need to understand the scientific
terms yourself. Find out the simple meanings by asking the scientist F. Do not sensationalise
concerned, or your contacts or look it up in a dictionary. To sensationalise means to state something in such a strong and
extreme way that it has an effect on people's emotions. Bad journalists
sensationalise stories because they are more concerned with grabbing the
attention of their readers or listeners than with telling the news accurately.
There might be some truth in what they write, but they exaggerate it to grab 4. Avoid jargon
attention. 5. Use concrete images to explain abstract ideas
The scientists themselves will also be offended. They like to deal in plain 6. Write brightly and simply
facts, to be accurate and not emotional. Therefore they are offended by 7. Do not sensationalise
sensational reporting which becomes a lie. It probably offends them more 8. Think of the best ways of illustrating any story
than simple errors, which they might forgive.
So never sensationalise a story. State the facts in a clear, simple and
interesting way. It is a great challenge to write a medical story without using
words like "miracle cure", but it can be done - and it is more rewarding than
the easy lie.

G. Give background details

Very few new scientific or technological developments happen by
accident. Most are the result of work over time. Discoveries may come
suddenly, but they usually come because a scientist is looking for something
anyway.
Your job is to place all developments in context. Explain how we got to
the situation today.
You need these kinds of background details in most stories, because they
help your readers or listeners to understand what has happened and how
important (or disappointing) the latest development is. The background details
should be written as simply and clearly as the rest of the story. They should
be kept as short as possible because your audience is mainly interested in
the latest news, not in history.

H. Illustrate your story

Try to provide illustrations which will bring your story alive.
In newspapers and on television, pictures or diagrams can say very quickly
what it might take you a thousand words to describe.
Any captions must explain the picture, but they do not have to explain
the whole of the thing you are describing. For example, you might use a
picture of a new coffee drying machine.

TO SUMMARISE:
1. Always try to write your stories with a human angle; remember the
people who make the developments and the people who will use them
2. Never write a story until you understand all the information you will
need to use
3. Do not take sides in scientific controversies - just report the arguments