Science essentials for news editors

SciLine, a philanthropically supported, free service for journalists and scientists based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science, offered a one-hour, Zoom-based science “crash course”—designed specifically for editors. This free course taught basic principles about how science works, how to integrate it skillfully into your outlet’s journalism, and strategies for making sure the science is right during the editing process.

Former longtime Washington Post science reporter Rick Weiss and Ph.D. neuroscientist Dr. Tori Espensen together laid out key do’s, don’ts, and pitfalls to watch for when editing a news story that includes scientific information or sources. Their insights are based on decades of experience working with reporters, editors, and scientists. Among the topics covered:

• How even a small dose of science can strengthen almost any story and add to your outlet’s credibility;
• Different kinds of studies and what each can—and cannot—reveal;
• Flags to watch for as you assess the accuracy of your reporters’ science-based stories; and
• Practical tips for identifying credible scientist-sources and guiding reporters to ask the right questions.

Forty-five minutes of interactive teaching were followed by a 15-min open Q&A.

More Science essentials for news editors sessions will be scheduled in the future. You can sign up here to be alerted when registration opens for future sessions and to join SciLine’s network of journalists.

Here’s our schedule for future dates of this course:

• December 6, 2023