Basic Science Writing
Timothy James M. Dimacali
[email protected] Lecture Overview
q How to Read a Scientific Paper
q How to Conduct Interviews
q How to Simplify Complex Ideas
q How to Write an Engaging Story
What is Science Writing?
It is communicating scientific concepts effectively
to a target audience
Depending on the audience, it can be a news
article, a feature story, a comic strip, a technical
report, etc.—It could be anything!
The common denominator is that science writing is
“writing about science”
All science writing is evidence-based
Do you have to be a
scientist?
No!
You’re not the topic expert; you’re not expected to
know everything
As a writer/journalist, your job is to understand
what you and your audience don’t know so that you
can write about it
Your job is to ask questions and find answers
Writing for a
General Audience
Writing for a general audience is a good exercise to
help you understand the science
If you understand the science, it’s easier to explain
to other people
If you don’t understand the science, ask questions
and do your research
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Authors
Abstract
Body
Discussion
Others (Figures, references, acknowledgements,
methods, etc.)
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Authors
Who are the authors?
Where are they from? (nationality, university, etc.)
What are their possible motivations?
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Abstract
What is the significance of the paper?
Why is this study important?
What is the summary of the research and its
findings?
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Body
What is new in this study?
What other studies have been undertaken on the
same topic?
What specific research was undertaken?
What are the details of the findings?
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Discussion
What are the authors’ thoughts on the study and its
findings?
What are the authors’ proposed next steps?
How to Read
a Scientific Paper
Others
Figures – Often, the paper’s main points are
visualized and summarized in the captions
References – These help guide you on what is
previously known or understood about the topic
Acknowledgements – Sometimes contains the
researchers’ inspirations/motivations, independent
reviewers, and funding sources
Methods – Details of the actual experiments
What if you don’t have
access to the paper?
What if you don’t have
access to the paper?
Reach out to the authors – Email the authors and
ask for a copy of the paper. Also try to request an
interview, but be sure to read the paper first before
asking questions!
Dig online – Look up the title of the paper on
Google Scholar and check if there’s a downloadable
copy. Or ask/look for a preprint version (NOTE! This
may be different from the final paper)
Interview a topic expert – find a scientist in the
same field and interview them, but make sure to
clarify that they were not directly involved in the
study
How to Conduct Interviews
Before the Interview
Research both the subject and the interviewee—
Hone your BS detector!
Approach the interview as an outsider who doesn’t
understand what’s happening
Formulate basic questions based on your initial
assessment of the story or situation
Before the Interview
Craft good questions!
Don’t ask “closed” questions (answerable by just
yes or no). This shuts down dialogue quickly.
Ask “open” questions: What? How? Why? Give the
interviewee space explain their side. This makes for
a richer interview.
Keep questions neutral. Give your interviewee space
to relax and open up about themselves.
During the interview
Don’t be adversarial. Be open and welcoming to
your interviewee. Give them the chance to speak for
themselves.
Pay attention! Don’t just treat your questions like a
checklist.
Notice when your interviewee loosens or tightens
up, when they relax and when they’re
uncomfortable.
Adjust your follow-up questions to how your
interviewee responds to your initial questions.
During the interview
Don’t insert yourself into the conversation! This
isn’t about you.
When wrapping up, paraphrase and repeat your
notes to the interviewee, to make sure you
understood their points
Always end with the question: “Is there anything
that I missed?”
After the interview
Review your notes and see what points would be of
interest to your audience.
Rethink and reevaluate your initial hypotheses as
needed. Don’t be afraid to change your lede or
initial thesis statement if the facts don’t support it.
Get in touch with the interviewee if there’s anything
you still don’t understand.
Don’t burn bridges. Keep calm and professional.
How to Simplify
Complex Ideas
Focusing on the Essentials:
What Railway Maps Can Teach Us
Focusing on the Essentials:
What Railway Maps Can Teach Us
Focusing on the Essentials:
What Railway Maps Can Teach Us
Focusing on the Essentials:
What Railway Maps Can Teach Us
Identify the most essential information that your
audience needs to know
Lay out the essential information in a neat and
orderly way that makes sense to your audience
Keep things as simple as possible
What is a
Scientific Analogy?
A comparison between two things, for the purpose
of explanation or clarification
Good analogies are simple, easy to remember, and
based on familiar concepts
The elements must be clear, and the limitations
must be explained
Water Pipe Analogy
for Electric Circuits
Voltage = water pressure
Current = water flow
Resistance = water obstacle
Batteries = water pump
Water Pipe Analogy
for Electric Circuits
Water Pipe Analogy
for Electric Circuits
Water Pipe Analogy
for Electric Circuits
SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES
• The concept of “flow” • Pipes are not wires, and vice
versa
• The relationship between
variables • The physical properties of water
vs. electricity
• The need for a closed loop to
maintain the cycle • The conversion from one form of
energy into another
Apartment Building Analogy
For Electron Arrangement
Atom = apartment building
Electrons = people
Energy levels = floors
Sublevels = apartments
Orbitals = rooms
Apartment Building Analogy
For Electron Arrangement
Apartment Building Analogy
For Electron Arrangement
Apartment Building Analogy
For Electron Arrangement
Apartment Building Analogy
For Electron Arrangement
SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES
The need to fill up a room/shell The patterns behind “filling up”
before filling up another one rooms/shells
The relationship between energy Electrons aren’t people, and vice
and higher floors/levels versa
Floor and room configurations are
arbitrary; shell and orbital
configurations aren’t
Tips for Finding
Appropriate Analogies
Who is your target audience?
What kinds of things and situations are they likely
to have already experienced?
What are the main points you want to convey?
What are the limitations of the analogy?
Is the analogy simple to understand?
How to Write
an Engaging Story
Science News Writing
Feature Story Writing
What do News and Features
have in common?
They are both structured to tell an engaging story
They are meant to inform people based on existing
scientific evidence
They are written with the reader in mind
HOW PEOPLE READ
People usually read left to right, top to bottom.
PYRAMID WRITING
STRUCTURE
Write so that your reader picks up information in sequential order.
Source: http://www.kerryr.net/webwriting/structure_content.htm
GETTING YOUR FOOT
IN THE DOOR
The headline is your first (and oftentimes last)
chance to hook your audience
The basic principles of writing style are also
applicable here
Headline and photo should complement each other
EXAMPLE 1 (revised)
EXAMPLE 1 (original)
EXAMPLE 2
EXAMPLE 3
EXAMPLE 4
BAD EXAMPLES
of headline-photo combos
Strong headline,
weak visual
Strong visual,
weak headline
SUMMARY
Scientific Papers – Who are the researchers? What
is the ‘big idea’? How is it relevant to your
audience?
Interviews – Give your interviewee a chance to be
themselves. Really listen to what they have to say.
Scientific Analogies – What is an everyday thing
that helps explain this new concept? What are the
limitations of the analogy?
Engaging Stories – Who is your target audience?
What are their interests?
Tips for Writing
(Not just for contests!)
Don’t write to impress. Write to communicate!
Always consider your main audience before writing
anything. Put yourself in their shoes!
Write in the way that will be best understood by
your main audience
THANK YOU!
EXERCISE
Write a story (news or feature) on the following
scientific study:
https://bit.ly/NSPC2021ScienceWritingExercise
Make your story interesting and relevant to a
general audience of young Filipinos.
Research as much as you want on the Internet BUT
fact-check and properly cite/quote your sources.
Good luck!
