A tactical guide to science journalism: lessons from the front lines
New York:
Oxford University Press
(2022), xiii, 345 pp., index
ISBN 978-0-19-755150-9 (pbk); 978-0-19-755152-3 (online)
"A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism is a compendium of advice, insights, and lessons about how to do excellent and thoughtful science journalism from some of the best science journalists working today. With chapters from more than 40 leading practitioners from around the world, representing publications from the New Yorker to the BBC, Science magazine to the New York Times, the book includes sections on storytelling craft and basics, investigative reporting, digital media, international journalism, and specialty beats, ranging from infectious disease to cyberterrorism." (Publisher)
Contents
Introduction / Deborah Blum, Ashley Smart, and Tom Zeller Jr., 1
PART 1: FOUNDATIONS
1 How Science Works / Nsikan Akpan, 7
2 Finding and Vetting Sources / Azeen Ghorashi, 14
3 Journals, Peer Review, and Preprints / Ivan Oransky, 21
4 Working With Statistics / Maggie Koerth, 28
5 Fact Checking / Brooke Borel, 35
PART 2: THE CRAFT OF STORYTELLING
6 A Foundation in News / Alicia Chang, 45
7 Story Structure / Deborah Blum, 52
8 Audio Storytelling / Elana Gordon, 60
9 Film and Video Storytelling / Ian Cheney, 67
10 Multimedia Storytelling / Jeffery DelViscio, 73
11 Data Storytelling / Charles Seife, 80
12 Opinion Writing / Bina Venkataraman, 87
13 Magazine Writing / Paige Williams, 94
14 Book Writing / Dan Fagin, 101
PART 3: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
15 Investigative Science Journalism / Katherine Eban, 111
16 Accessing Public Records / Michael Morisy, 118
17 The Art of the Interview / Pallab Ghosh, 125
18 Cybersecurity and Protecting Sources / Andrada Fiscutean, 132
19 The Public Information Machine / James Glanz, 139
PART 4: COVERING SCIENCE BEATS
20 Medicine / Sabriya Rice, 147
21 Infectious Diseases / Helen Branswell, 154
22 Public Health / Julia Belluz, 161
23 Social Sciences / Sujata Gupta, 168
24 Science and Justice / Rod McCullom, 175
25 Physics / Ashley Smart, 182
26 Genetics / Antonio Regalado, 189
27 Technology / Megan Molteni, 195
28 Space / Nadia Drake, 202
29 Climate / Sarah Kaplan, 209
30 Conservation and Wildlife / Rachel Nuwer, 216
31 Earth Sciences / Betsy Mason, 223
32 Mathematics / Jennifer Ouellette, 230
33 Science Policy / Dan Vergano, 237
34 Artificial Intelligence / Matthew Hutson, 244
35 Cybersecurity and National Security / Kim Zetter, 251
PART 5: METRICS, MODELS, AND MARKETING
36 New Models for Science Media / Thomas Lin, 261
37 Measuring Success in Science Journalism / Kate Travis, 268
38 Social Media in Science Journalism / Liz Neporent, 274
39 Building Trust and Navigating Mistrust / Apoorva Mandavilli, 281
40 Marketing Your Stories / Jason Penchoff, 288
PART 6: THE GLOBAL PICTURE
41 Narrative Reporting Abroad / Martin Enserink, 297
42 Reporting in Authoritarian Regimes / Richard Stone, 304
43 Collaborative Journalism Across Borders / Iván Carrillo, 311
44 Reporting in the Global South / Esther Nakkazi, 318
Epilogue: Stay Curious and Question Everything / Tom Zeller Jr., 325
Resources, 333
PART 1: FOUNDATIONS
1 How Science Works / Nsikan Akpan, 7
2 Finding and Vetting Sources / Azeen Ghorashi, 14
3 Journals, Peer Review, and Preprints / Ivan Oransky, 21
4 Working With Statistics / Maggie Koerth, 28
5 Fact Checking / Brooke Borel, 35
PART 2: THE CRAFT OF STORYTELLING
6 A Foundation in News / Alicia Chang, 45
7 Story Structure / Deborah Blum, 52
8 Audio Storytelling / Elana Gordon, 60
9 Film and Video Storytelling / Ian Cheney, 67
10 Multimedia Storytelling / Jeffery DelViscio, 73
11 Data Storytelling / Charles Seife, 80
12 Opinion Writing / Bina Venkataraman, 87
13 Magazine Writing / Paige Williams, 94
14 Book Writing / Dan Fagin, 101
PART 3: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
15 Investigative Science Journalism / Katherine Eban, 111
16 Accessing Public Records / Michael Morisy, 118
17 The Art of the Interview / Pallab Ghosh, 125
18 Cybersecurity and Protecting Sources / Andrada Fiscutean, 132
19 The Public Information Machine / James Glanz, 139
PART 4: COVERING SCIENCE BEATS
20 Medicine / Sabriya Rice, 147
21 Infectious Diseases / Helen Branswell, 154
22 Public Health / Julia Belluz, 161
23 Social Sciences / Sujata Gupta, 168
24 Science and Justice / Rod McCullom, 175
25 Physics / Ashley Smart, 182
26 Genetics / Antonio Regalado, 189
27 Technology / Megan Molteni, 195
28 Space / Nadia Drake, 202
29 Climate / Sarah Kaplan, 209
30 Conservation and Wildlife / Rachel Nuwer, 216
31 Earth Sciences / Betsy Mason, 223
32 Mathematics / Jennifer Ouellette, 230
33 Science Policy / Dan Vergano, 237
34 Artificial Intelligence / Matthew Hutson, 244
35 Cybersecurity and National Security / Kim Zetter, 251
PART 5: METRICS, MODELS, AND MARKETING
36 New Models for Science Media / Thomas Lin, 261
37 Measuring Success in Science Journalism / Kate Travis, 268
38 Social Media in Science Journalism / Liz Neporent, 274
39 Building Trust and Navigating Mistrust / Apoorva Mandavilli, 281
40 Marketing Your Stories / Jason Penchoff, 288
PART 6: THE GLOBAL PICTURE
41 Narrative Reporting Abroad / Martin Enserink, 297
42 Reporting in Authoritarian Regimes / Richard Stone, 304
43 Collaborative Journalism Across Borders / Iván Carrillo, 311
44 Reporting in the Global South / Esther Nakkazi, 318
Epilogue: Stay Curious and Question Everything / Tom Zeller Jr., 325
Resources, 333
