A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers

by Deborah Blum (Editor), Mary Knudson (Editor), Robin Marantz Henig (Editor)

The best guide for teaching and learning effective science writing, this second edition of A Field Guide for Science Writers improves on the classic first edition with a wider range of topics, a new slate of writers, and an up-to-date exploration of the most stimulating and challenging issues in science. In this collection of essays, nationally known science writers Deborah Blum, Mary Knudson, and Robin Marantz Henig assemble the best science writers working today to explain what they do and how to do it well.

Field Guide combines detailed and practical how-to advice with thoughtful discussions of the challenges of science journalism in the 21st century. It doesn't shy away from addressing such controversial matters as cloning, stem cell research, eugenics, medical overtreatment, and questions of scientific honesty. Offering a comprehensive overview of the field of science writing, this book discusses a broad range of media and sources, from newspapers to broadcast journalism and from corporations to government agencies. It also provides a detailed analysis of some of the hottest fields in science writing - ranging from mental health to human genetics - and covers a diverse array of writing styles, from "gee-whiz" to investigative.

With more than 45 esteemed contributors - people who work for such leading news outlets as Scientific American, Popular Science, Discover, Smithsonian, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal - this book is an invaluable resource for current and aspiring science writers, students and instructors in science writing and journalism, and scientists who are interested in science communication.

Genres: Science, Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Journalism, Textbooks, Education

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 1997

About the author

Deborah Blum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author.

As a science writer for the Sacramento Bee, Blum (rhymes with gum) wrote a series of articles examining the professional, ethical, and emotional conflicts between scientists who use animals in their research and animal rights activists who oppose that research. Titled "The Monkey Wars", the series won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting.

Reviews

[Atila Iamarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente coletânea de textos sobre escrita científica, com um pouco de tudo, escrita por gente muito competente. De divulgação em revistas à relações públicas e crise em instituições. Também tem um pouco de escrita para internet, mas nada mais moderno.

[Mixeva Mohsen]

I wouldn't have ever touched it if I hadn't been a science editor!!!
But it is PERFECT!!!!! All you need to know about science writing!

[Asha Tenbroeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on science writing i've read so far - really made a difference in how i approach writing and researching myself.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good information, but seems pretty outdated at this point.

[Book O Latte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku ini berisi kumpulan artikel dari puluhan penulis sains, terbagi dalam beberapa bagian:
1. Getting Started, berisi tentang bagaimana bekerja sebagai penulis/reporter sains di suratkabar, majalah, jurnal perdagangan, jurnal ilmiah, televisi. Juga membahas tentang menulis buku sains (populer), bagaimana bekerjasama dengan ilmuwan (menjadi co-author buku), tentang komunikasi sains oleh ilmuwannya sendiri, dan tentang persoalan freelancing.
2. Techniques of the Trade, membahas berbagai hal yang berkaitan dengan teknik kepenulisan sains. Tentang struktur cerita, investigative journalism, pengambilan sumber, penggunaan data, statistik, dan penulisan opini.
3. Covering the Stories in Science, membahas penulisan sains di berbagai bidang, seperti kesehatan, psikologi, neurosains, lingkungan, fisika, astronomi, teknologi, dll.
4. Working Outside the Media, membahas penulisan/reportase sains di institusi pendidikan, pemerintahan, museum, laboratorium, lembaga non profit, dan industri.

-dydy-

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent advice on specific areas of science

[Martin Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I even had a network of contacts to develop, I would take the advice given in this book. If I had an editor, This would help me deal with him/her. If I didn't know that I really REALLY should check my sources, I would now know that.

The problem with this book is that it's written by science writers, and science writers are reporters and reporters are not very good sources on how to be reporters.

Still, it was free and I am grateful for it and I did learn from it, though not as much as I'd hoped I might.

[Margaret Taylor]

This is pretty exciting stuff, because it gets into the nuts and bolts of how one goes about writing about science. The book is divided into sections, one of which is about actually writing well, one about the peculiarities of certain fields such as medicine, and one about working in all the various print markets. Print markets. The biggest problem with this book is that it was published in 2006, and the written word has been through an upheaval since then. I’d recommend this book for the section on craft alone, but the ten pages on writing for the Web left me wanting more.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book for those considering a career in science writing. I appreciated the quality of each writer's contribution (great writing by seasoned science writers) and the breadth and depth of topics addressed. This book remains relevant even as science writing moves further into digital spheres.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is made up of chapters written by different people who write about their experiences in the publishing industry. Although I read this for a class, it was an interesting insight into how the publishing industry works

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading/analyzing this for my dissertation, so my take on it isn't likely to be useful to others.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was okay, less of a "how to" than a "here's what I do." Some compelling writing about writing in here, but a little too much personal narrative than examples and case studies.

[Mohamed Elsonpaty · Rating 5 out of 5]

just more than perfect !

[Chris]

Must read for science writers. Get the first edition and read that, too.

[Odette Brethouwer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very usefull and has lots of practical tips for science writers