Covering Science

Covering science can be tricky, but we’ve put together a number of resources to help out busy journalists that can be viewed as an ebook or downloaded as a PDF. These resources are also available online below.

We want to help reporters who want to get the science right, so here we’re covering the basics of everything from the peer review process in scientific research, through to the tricky issue of trying to write a “balanced” science story when the weight of scientific evidence may be overwhelmingly on one side.

You’ll find a ten-point checklist for approaching science-related subjects, tips on accessing and reading research articles, and a guide for spotting bad science.

You’ll also find information about Scimex.org, our go-to portal for journalists, where you will gain embargoed access to new research, an expert database and a multimedia library of science-related images that are free to use.

Best practice guidelines

Getting access to research

Types of scientific evidence

Spotting bad science

Peer review and how to read a paper

Balance in scientific reporting

Communicating statistics and risk

Dealing with uncertainty

Scientists as sources

Alternatively, get in touch with the SMC to request your very own hard copy.