HEALTH

&TECHNOLOGY
FEATURE
WRITING
NOEL VILLANUEVA SADINAS
Teacher III
Kasibu CS/Kasibu West
SDO-NUEVA VIZCAYA
THE CHALLENGES FACING BY THE
JOURNALISTS
As a Science, Health and Technology
Writer/Reporter, you should remember the
following basic principles:
1.You are bridge between the world of Science
and your community.
2. Although the aim of Scientists is precision,
and the aim of journalists is simplicity, there
should be no conflict between the two.
3.Most science and technology will have human
applications.
4. You must always be accurate.
SCIENCE, HEALTH AND
TECHNOLOGY WRITING
-Writing about scientific subject
matter for an audience of non-
scientists in news, editorial or
feature form.
SCIENCE NEWS
-Basically news about science
-a timely factual report on events,
situations or ideas which are
interesting or significant to the public
-information with meaning to a set of
readers.
Where can get science news?
• health promotion
-Science Fair • nutrition
-School Events/Practices • disease prevention, control and cure
• breakthroughs in medical research
-Local Science • advances in technology
Community • new products and processes
• high tech inventions
*Make the process of • environmental concerns
learning science • food production researches
newsworthy • energy development
• research results and breakthroughs
• announcement of S&T activity/event
• scientific gatherings (conference/symposia)
• success stories on S&T projects
 STRUCTURE OF A
SCIENCE NEWS
-Lead – contains the most important of
the most interesting element of the story
-One or two additional paragraphs on the
highlights of the story
-Elaboration
-features of the Science story according to
decreasing importance.
– appropriate for fact stories
Example:
Revived Kepler telescope finds first exoplanet
The Kepler space telescope has bagged its first confirmed planet
since being benched in the summer of 2015 by a broken part used to
steady the spacecraft.
The planet named HIP 116454b, sits 180 light-years in the
constellation Pisces. Kepler detected the planet, which is about 2.5 times
as wide as Earth, as a brief dip in starlight as HIP 116454b passed
between its sun and the telescope on the Canary Islands, provided the
planet’s mass: roughly 12 times that of Earth. HIP 116454b either a
water world or a mini-Neptune, astronomers report in a paper posted
online December 18 and accepted to the Astrophysical Journal.
The discovery is the first K2 mission, Kepler’s second chance at
life after losing its reaction wheels, which balanced the spacecraft,
Kepler could no longer stay steady enough to stare at stars and detect
planets. Engineers proposed pointing Kepler’s solar panel roof toward
the sun February 2016 test run to see if the paln would work.
 UP-PGH HOLDS PEDIATRIC GAB
The UP-PGH Medical Center department of
pediatrics announced that the 13 th post-graduate
intensive continuing medical course in pediatrics for
medical practitioners will be held on March 24-29 at the
BSLR, UP college of medicine, P. Gil, Ermita, Manila.
The objective of the course is to update and
refresh doctors with current trends in pediatric practice.
Topics to be covered include neonatology,
nephrology, pediatric emergencies, endocrinology,
hematology, oncology, pediatric surgery, common
pediatric EENT problems, pediatric cardiology, allergy
and immunology as well as common pediatric infections.
Interested parties may send their application to
UP-PGH medical center, department of pediatrics, UP-
PGH, P. Gil, Taft Avenue, Manila.
SCIENCE EDITORIAL
-Science editorial is an analytical interpretation of significant
and timely Science topics or issues. It expresses the stand of
the newspaper on controversial issues of the day.
-It is also an expression of Science facts and opinions in
concise, logical and pleasing order to influence opinion, or to
interpret significant news such that its importance to the
reader will be clear.
-Focus on the facts
-Analysis of the issue must be based on scientific facts and
following the scientific method
-Assumption raised must be based on solid logic and
following the scientific method.
Parts of a Science
Editorial
1.Introduction – it is the beginning paragraph. It may
contain the news upon which the editorial is based. In
such a case, the introduction is called the news peg.
2. Body – this contains the facts about the news or
issues including the paper’s opinion or viewpoints. It
builds up the case through a logical arrangement of
ideas supported by facts. The body may be made up
of three to four paragraphs.
3. Conclusion – this is the last part that either
summarizes or drives home the point. It ties up the
ideas and arguments presented in the body. This is
sometimes known as the clincher.
Example:
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Man is living in a fast changing environment.
Our environment today is different from the
environment of our forefathers yesterday.
Human beings, plants and animals make-
up our living environment. Man has the most
highly developed body systems which make them
superior to other living things. But man cannot live
alone. They need other living things in the
environment. All living things need and depend
on one another. Yet, look at what is happening in
our environment today.
 Forests are denuded by kaingeros and loggers.
The law has become lenient we would say because we
could still witness the burning of forests and which are
turned into kaingins or vegetables gardens. Illegal
logging still exists. While seedlings are being planted in
vacant places to replace cut trees but not all of them
grow because some loose animals destroy them. The
burning of garbage has become the usual practice in
some areas. The sight of plastics everywhere is very
irritating to the eyes and to the nose when they are
burned. Thus something should be done about it.
In some places in our country, the use of plastic is
banned. The separation of biodegradable and
degradable waste is encouraged.
Truly, man’s awareness of his environment is very
challenging. It is only man that can destroy or save his
environment.
SCIENCE, HEALTH AND
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
WRITING
Writing about
scientific subject
matter for an audience
of non-scientists.
 S&T FEATURES
The S&T features are interesting write ups on S&T
facts, not fiction; done in an imaginative, creative, and
interesting manner. They usually deal with events, people,
trends and processes in science and technology. The
common elements of S&T features are as follows: 1.) use of
imagination, 2.) use of colorful and absorbing writing
technique, 3.) use of novelty beginning to avoid the drab
and cut-dry presentation without distorting the facts; and
4.) use of conflict/drama to sustain reader’s interest.
S&T features can only be written if you have a wealth
of data/information. Look for the following characteristics of
your features:
1.) may inform, instruct or advise in an entertaining way
2.) may be in any length, from short human interest to long
magazine article
3.) uses catchy beginning
4.) uses imagination, but no fiction
5.) written in “friendly tone” with an intention to “talk” to
readers
Science reporting has become a
MUST in this era of…
• discoveries

• inventions

• technological development

• computer age
 “Will they
understand me?”
 Science-writer
- translator and
interpreter of scientific
Science
reports for Mr. Average
- private domain of
Reader (layman)
scientists - all around (chemist,
electrician, botanist,
zoologist, plumber etc.
Science writer bridges the gap between
LAYMAN and SCIENTIST
• understands science, knows WHERE and
HOW to find facts
• equipped with modern and updated
science books, encyclopedia and
dictionary
• mastery on translating technical jargons
into simple terms
How to write a Science Feature?
1. Choose your topic and length carefully (Build Up a
Basic Knowledge)
Be realistic about the issue you are covering - does it
have enough dimensions to hold a reader's interest
for a long feature? Ideal Science and technology
feature article has at least 10-12 paragraphs.
2. Read Widely
3. Have a plan
Make a list of all the points you want to cover in the
article, then put them into an order that allows you
to move with the most ease from one point to the
next.
4. Come back to the intro again, and again, and again …
Writing introductions is always a tricky business. The
best introductions invoke up a clear, an unusual
challenge or a stark situation. Move on to the body of
the piece and come back to it. The introductions that
seem the most effortless have probably taken the most
work.

5. Get on the phone, or better still on the road

Or…
Title
TITLE
Strong Introduction
STRONG INTRODUCTION
Paragraph 2-Subject
BODY WITH SUPPORTING FACTS
3-4-Details with Science facts
STRONG CONCLUSION

Paragraph 5-Subject
Paragraph 6-8-Details with Science
facts

Paragraph 9-Subject
Paragraph 10-11-Details with
7. Know what you are trying to say – don't
waffle
No feature can cover every aspect of an issue.
There will always be other points or angles.
Make sure you have a clear idea of what is
relevant to your topic..
8. Get your facts straight (Dig for the Truth),
Site your sorce
Double check everything. If someone gives
you a figure for the cost of a medical
procedure, check it in the literature and ask
the experts. Make sure your sources are up to
date and accurate and remember to
9. Change the pace
-Employing a single, uniform style throughout
your article will make for a tedious read.
Change the pace throughout – switching
between emotional experiences, sobering
facts, funny quotes and informative sections
will keep your reader engaged to the end. Like
a good play, a feature can also move
backwards and forwards in time and be set in
different scenes.
 STEPS AND TECHNIQUES IN
WRITING S&T FEATURES
1) Opening Use the following
paragraph/introductio techniques:
n 1.) Eye catching
2) Start with the S&T Titles
problem 2.) Rhetorical
questions
3) Search for solution
3.) Examples
4) Elaboration of facts 4.) Anecdotes
5) Closing paragraph 5.) Analogies
6) Check first draft with 6.) Personification
sources 7.) Direct quotation
7) Finalize 8.) Definitions
9.) Narration
Hal. Teknotsek!
Example: Dehydrated Vegetables All-Year Round
Robert F. Soriano
The Manila Times
Variety Page, Tues. May 7, 2013
The vegetarians among us have a strong penchant for vegetables such as the
green leafy variety, the plump and succulent berries, spices and herbs, among others
which are (but not always) better preferred fresh in the Filipino kitchen.
These herbaceous plants have become a part of the Filipino diet, either as
viand itself and extended use as a sautéing ingredient, as appetizer; and can even
boast of their aroma and flavor, that when mixed in salad and other food concoctions
can give a perfect blend to the discriminating palate.
Yes! Virginia! You get all fresh veggies right from the market, sold along the
streets in Balintawak and Nepa-Q-Mart. But sometimes you can hardly find them
because, of their being off-season and still, at prohibitive price. People just don’t think
of the time when all these vegetables had to be scarce and would not take advantage
of the rare chance of getting them from the market place. In the rural areas, alright,
there is voluminous supply, or sometimes even an oversupply of vegetables. But don’t
you think we should resort to more creative ways and make the most of this period of
abundance?
 If El Niño comes, can La Niña be far
behind?
When El Niño first broke out in the There have been 29 El Niño
early 60’s, Filipinos were totally incidences recorded in the past one
shocked. But except that it was bad hundred years while there were only 18
news, nothing was known about this La Niña occurrences.
phenomenon. In the past few months, La Niña
Filipinos gained more knowledge has wrought great havoc in many
from that experience. That “El Niño, countries like China, Bangladesh, South
the dry spell” would occur at least Korea, Sudan, Peru and Mexico which
three times a decade. suffered from floods causing death and
Unfortunately, El Niño is only half of illnesses. This phenomenon is expected
the story. The effect of greenhouse to visit the country in October when
gas is an erratic weather pattern that heavy rainfall and floods are expected.
alternates between “hot” and “cold.” In preparation for La Niña, the
The hot season results in drought due government has started the relocation
to lack of rainfall and increase in of squatters living along esteros as part
atmospheric pressure. It is called El of its Bantay Esteros project which aims
Niño. The cold season that results in to rid canals and waterways of garbage.
super typhoon, excessive rainfall and With only 15 percent of the drainage
heavy downpour is known as La Niña system in Metro Manila reportedly in
or El Viejo phenomenon. It is the large good condition, seven percent of the
scale oceanographic or city is expected to be submerged in
meteorological phenomenon that deep flood waters due to heavy rain.
develops over the center and eastern
equatorial Pacific, characterized by
cold surface temperatures on the
 INTERNET: Linking people into one global
village
The internet is like the important thing since the
phone system which ties invention of digital
callers from around the world communications.
together via a web of data- E-Mail or Electronic
transmission lines. On the Net,
Mail is the most popular and
giant computers called servers
are linked together via
widely used service of the
telephone lines and filter-optic Internet. E-Mail allows
cable. Through the Internet, messages – from short note
individuals and companies are to long letters – to be sent
linked together into one global from one computer to
village. another.
In the Philippines, the Communication is
use of the internet was vital for attaining economic
initiated by the Department of prosperity. The availability of
Science and Technology by information and ready access
connecting top universities. to it is one of the most
Today, different offices,
important requirements in
companies and private
individuals, government business. The Internet
officials, politicians and ensures that information is
celebrities are hooked to the readily available and easily
Internet which may well be the accessible. And it is so much
 WONDERS OF RECYCLING: Animal Manure boosts
food production, greening drive
Dog and cat manure litter the streets and pose problems
in hygiene and sanitation. But they could be tapped as effective
and cheap sources of organic fertilizer to boost food production
and the government’s Clean and Green campaign.
This productive use of abominable waste material
surfaced after a recent study by the Science department
revealed that mongo and okra seeds planted in soil enriched with
dog and cat manures grew into sturdier plants than those planted
in soil without fertilizer and those using chemical fertilizer.
Animal manure is thus seen as a great help in boosting food
production and in greening the environment.
The soil enriched with dog manure yielded the healthiest
plant, Mrs. Zamorita Irabagon, research coordinator, said.
 “Science is mankind’s most intellectual
attainment.”
“It is of great importance that the general
public is given an opportunity to
experience consciously and intellectually,
the efforts and results of scientific
research.
To restrict the body of scientific
knowledge to small group, forfeits the
essence of Science serving the people.”

- Albert Einstein
 Workshop
SCIENCE, HEALTH and
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
Topic: Write a feature article
on Proper Eco-Waste
Management
(9-12 paragraphs)