A fun, profound article employs science reporting basics.
A recent article in the Washington Post does a great job of conveying important science – including technical details – in a fun fashion.
Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and parts per million are some of the technical terms found in this recent article from the Washington Post. And yet, it's very approachable, easy to read and lively.
The story of a teenager's journey through a science experiment grabs readers and propels them to read the entire story. On the way, they learn some interesting science about dry cleaning chemicals and environmental health. This article achieved this tour de force because the reporter Lena H. Sun followed three basic ideas that enhance science reporting:
1) The science is explained in the context of a typical experiment that follows the principles of the scientific method. We learn how different fabrics were sampled, cut and sewed inside jackets then dry-cleaned, collected and stored before being analyzed. We also read how samples were all the same so they could be compared, which is important while conducting an experiment of any sort. This writing strategy is one of the best ways to explain what day-to-day science is all about and to expose readers to the universal research guidelines known as the scientific method.
2) The science is described through the eyes of the scientists. With this approach, the science becomes a dynamic process, more lively and approachable. This is especially the case when a teenager practices it so gracefully.
3) The journalists – Sun and the contributors – writing the article were not afraid to use technical and scientific terms when necessary to enhance the story. This feat was possible because of their deep level of understanding of the science and explains in part why this article is so educational.
The science in the article, though, is transcended by the very human story of a teenager who emails college professors for help with her project and ends up publishing the results in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Wow, what a great story!
Updated 9-12-2011
The above work by Environmental Health News is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.environmentalhealthnews.org.
