A Field Guide for Science Writers The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers

by Blum, Deborah; Knudson, Mary; Henig, Robin Marantz

• ISBN13: 9780195174984
• ISBN10: 0195174984
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-08
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This is the official text for the National Association of Science Writers. In the eight years since the publication of the first edition of A Field Guide for Science Writing, much about the world has changed. Some of the leading issues in today's political marketplace - embryonic stem cellresearch, global warming, health care reform, space exploration, genetic privacy, germ warfare - are informed by scientific ideas. Never has it been more crucial for the lay public to be scientifically literate. That's where science writers come in. And that's why it's time for an update to theField Guide, already a staple of science writing graduate programs across the country. The academic community has recently recognized how important it is for writers to become more sophisticated, knowledgeable, and skeptical about what they write. More than 50 institutions now offer training in science writing. In addition mid-career fellowships for science writers are growing,giving journalists the chance to return to major universities for specialized training. We applaud these developments, and hope to be part of them with this new edition of the Field Guide. In A Field Guide for Science Writers, 2nd Edition, the editors have assembled contributions from a collections of experienced journalists who are every bit as stellar as the group that contributed to the first edition. In the end, what we have are essays written by the very best in the sciencewriting profession. These wonderful writers have written not only about style, but about content, too. These leaders in the profession describe how they work their way through the information glut to find the gems worth writing about. We also have chapters that provide the tools every good sciencewriter needs: how to use statistics, how to weigh the merits of conflicting studies in scientific literature, how to report about risk. And, ultimately, how to write.

Author Biography

Deborah Blum is a Pulitzer Prize winning science writer, former president of the National Association of Science Writers, and Professor of journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the author of such award-winning books as Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection, Sex on the Brain, and The Monkey Wars. She has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Discover, Psychology Today, Life, Health, The Utne Reader, Mother Jones, and discovery.com.
Mary Knudson is a medical writer at work on a book on heart failure to be published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. She wrote about medicine for the Baltimore Sun for seventeen years and won an NASW Science-in-Society Award. On the Primary Faculty at the Johns Hopkins University Master of Arts in Writing Program, she teaches science/medical writing and the Literature of Science.
Robin Marantz Henig is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of 8 books, including Pandora's Baby (2004) and The Monk in the Garden (2000). She is a winner of the 2004 NASW Science-in-Society Award and three-time recipient of the June Roth Memorial Award for medical writing. Her writing appears in The Best American Science Writing 2005.

Table of Contents

Foreword	v
Timothy Ferris
Part One: Learning the Craft
Mary Knudson
Finding Story Ideas and Sources	5	(6)
Philip M. Yam
Reporting From Science Journals	11	(7)
Tom Siegfried
Understanding and Using Statistics	18	(8)
Lewis Cope
Writing Well About Science: Techniques From Teachers of Science Writing	26	(8)
Taking Your Story to the Next Level	34	(5)
Nancy Shute
Finding a Voice and a Style	39	(10)
David Everett
Part Two: Choosing Your Market
Carey Goldberg
Small Newspapers	49	(6)
Ron Seely
Large Newspapers	55	(7)
Robert Lee Hotz
Popular Magazines	62	(6)
Janice Hopkins Tanne
Trade and Science Journals	68	(5)
Colin Norman
Broadcast Science Journalism	73	(6)
Joe Palca
Freelance Writing	79	(4)
Kathryn Brown
Science Books	83	(7)
Carl Zimmer
Popular Audiences on the Web	90	(7)
Alan Boyle
Science Audiences on the Web	97	(3)
Tabitha M. Powledge
Science Editing	100	(11)
Mariette Dichristina
Part Three: Varying Your Writing Style
Robin Marantz Henig
Deadline Writing	111	(7)
Gareth Cook
Investigative Reporting	118	(8)
Antonio Regalado
Gee Whiz Science Writing	126	(6)
Robert Kunzig
Explanatory Writing	132	(6)
George Johnson
Narrative Writing	138	(7)
Jamie Shreeve
The Science Essay	145	(10)
Robert Kanigel
Part Four: Covering Stories in the Life Sciences
Deborah Blum
Medicine	155	(7)
Shannon Brownlee
Infectious Diseases	162	(6)
Marilyn Chase
Nutrition	168	(8)
Sally Squires
Mental Health	176	(7)
Paul Raeburn
The Biology of Behavior	183	(6)
Kevin Begos
Human Genetics	189	(8)
Antonio Regalado
Human Cloning and Stem Cells	197	(12)
Stephen S. Hall
Part Five: Covering Stories in the Physical and Environmental Sciences
Deborah Blum
Technology and Engineering	209	(7)
Kenneth Chang
Space Science	216	(6)
Michael D. Lemonick
The Environment	222	(7)
Andrew C. Revkin
Nature	229	(7)
Mckay Jenkins
Earth Sciences	236	(7)
Glennda Chui
Climate	243	(8)
Usha Lee Mcfarling
Risk Reporting	251	(6)
Cristine Russell
Taking a Different Path: Journalists and Public Information Officers	257	(48)
Part Six: Communicating Science From Institutions
John D. Toon
Universities	267	(6)
Earle Holland
Institutional Communications During Crisis	273	(7)
Joann Ellison Rodgers
Government Agencies	280	(7)
Colleen Henrichsen
Nonprofits	287	(6)
Frank Blanchard
Museums	293	(6)
Mary Miller
Corporate Public Relations	299	(6)
Marion E. Glick
Epilogue	305	(6)
James Gleick
Index	311