Fine Tuning: Helping Reporters Get it Right

Helping Reporters Get it Right

By Barbara Gastel

Photo: Courtesy of Barbara Gastel
Barbara Gastel

Accurate, engaging, informative reporting on science abounds in the popular media. So does science reporting that is less--sometimes much less--accurate, engaging, and informative than it could be.

Universities and professional societies offer courses and publications to help journalists report well on science. But good science writing also requires good information sources. You could be the main source, and the following tips can help ensure that your comments in an interview contribute to a story's accuracy and relevance:

Find out the reporter's background. Journalists writing life science stories range from general reporters who barely passed basic biology to specialized science reporters with doctorates in biological sciences. Knowing the reporter's background, and gearing information accordingly, can best serve all concerned.

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