Welcome to Principles of Science Journalism!

1. For Response 8 pretend you’re a media critic. Read the 9 key elements that can help journalists be better video storytellers. Look at the examples. Based on that article, pick a SCIENCE video, audio slideshow or podcast that does a good job or a bad job. Not every piece will have all 9 key elements. If you can’t find something, you could review a RadioLab podcast or something from the RadioLab archive. You could also check out the Diana Liverman video and the Mirror Lab/Roger Angel video called Giant Mirrors to Capture the Universe  on the UA home page. Other options are videos from the Climate Reality Project. There are many on the video page, with some more effective than others. You decide which!
2. Due 3 p.m. Sunday, April 8:
   a) Write a review of a good or bad SCIENCE video, audio slideshow or podcast. (You could also compare a good and a bad piece.) Think critically about what works and what does not. Be sure to include the link!
   b) Also ask two questions about the Elise Hancock readings: Chapter 6 (Refining Your Draft) and Chapter 7 (When You’re Feeling Stuck) in Elise Hancock’s Ideas Into Words. Follow these instructions to access free e-book
   c) Also comment on one of your classmate’s posts. 
3. Work on revising your paper or multimedia project. The revision is due next Monday, April 16.

4/8/12—Video/Podcast Critique and Elise Hancock Questions

4/1/12—Blogging and Social Media

1. Due 3 p.m. Sunday, April 1: a. Response 7 will be a blog post about your story or multimedia project or your own science research. You could, for example, write a backstory about an intriguing interview, an interesting character in your story or a challenge you faced and overcame. Bora Zivkovic, the chief blogger at Scientific American, will be our guest via Skype on Monday, and he’ll take a look at your posts. Here are tips about writing a blog post.
   b. Also ask two questions about the social media readings listed in the schedule.
   c. Also  comment on one classmate’s post or questions.
2. BRING to class on Monday, April 2: I’ve moved all the stories and multimedia projects for your group to a DOWNLOAD STORIES folder in D2L’s Dropbox so you can retrieve them. You have a week (until class time on Monday, April 2) to download the stories of the other students in your group and give detailed feedback on your teammate’s stories. Use Comments or Track Changes. You do NOT need to edit the stories unless you can’t help yourself! Bring the other stories in your group to class this coming Monday, April 2, for a writers workshop. See the critique guidelines on the handout you received in class.

3/25/12—Statistics for Science Journalists

By 3 p.m. Sunday, March 25

1. Please post Response 6 to this week’s readings. (Optional: Can you recommend any science journalists whose work you trust when it comes to numbers and stats?)
2. In addition, include two questions about numbers and stats.
   a. Make the first question a multiple choice with four answers based on the readings. Do not include the correct answer, but make sure you know what it is!
   b. Ask the second question about a problem you’ve encountered in the past with numbers/stats or anything you found difficult or confusing about the readings.
3. Also comment on one classmate’s post or second question, but do not answer the first question.

By class time Monday, March 26

1. Post the first version of your COMPLETE story or the link to your COMPLETE multimedia project in D2L’s Dropbox. Post a .doc rather than a .docx. If you’re missing an element, such as an interview, mention that.
2. Put three questions at the end of your story about things you’re not sure about or have been struggling with so we can lend a hand. For multimedia projects, give us a link to YouTube and also include three questions.
3. For both stories and multimedia projects, include complete contact information (name, title, organization, location, phone, email) for your sources.
4. Be sure to include a title.
5. After all the stories and multimedia projects for your group have been posted, I’ll move them to a DOWNLOAD folder in D2L’s Dropbox so you can retrieve them. You’ll then have a week (until class time on Monday, April 2) to download the stories of the other students in your group and, using Track Changes or Comments, give detailed feedback on your teammate’s stories. Bring the other stories in your group to class next Monday for a writers workshop. See the critique guidelines on the handout you received in class. You do NOT need to edit the stories unless you can’t help yourself!

3/5/12—Outline, Section of Story and Sources OR Part of Multimedia and Sources

By class time Monday, March 5: Post a detailed outline and one section of your story and a list of references and/or sources with contact info (title, email, phone) OR post a link to part of your multimedia project or script and a list of references and/or sources with contact info (title, email, phone). You may use any style for the references—AP, APA, MLA, whatever.

By midnight Friday, March 9: Post DETAILED constructive comments on three of your classmate’s posts. If there are already three sets of comments, find a post with no comments, one comment or two comments. You may comment on more than three if you like!

2/26/12—Climate Change & Elise Hancock

By noon this Sunday, Feb. 26, please do the following:

1. For Response 5 write about Chris Mooney and/or Elise Hancock’s Chapter 3 from last week and/or Chapter 4 from this week.
   
2. Ask two questions about Sections 1 and/or 2 of Bud Ward.
3. Comment on one classmate’s response or questions.

For class on Monday

1. Bring in (do not post) a written list of the main points in the section you’ve been assigned in Bud Ward. Do NOT confer ahead of time with the other students in your group. You’ll produce group summaries in class after a discussion. Everyone: Scan Sections 1 and 2. Megan, Shea and Ben: List the main points in Section 3. Johanna, Eric, Sam and Amy: List the main points in Section 4. John de Dios, Jessica, John Ruane, Dara, Susan and Danny: List the main points in Section 5. Elizabeth, Corinne, Michelle, Lilian and Missy: List the main points in Section 6.

Begin researching, interviewing and writing your story or working on your multimedia project.

2/19/12—Legal Issues & Revised Story Proposal

By noon this Sunday, Feb. 19, please do the following:

1. Post a response to the legal readings (#2, #3 and/or #4, NOT to #5 Elise Hancock) by clicking on the Comments link in the post below called “Legal Issues & Revised Story Proposal.” Enter your response in the Leave a Reply box. Undergraduates, please write about 250 words, graduate students about 350 words. Discuss the main ideas in the readings. You might want to compare and contrast the various readings for that week or relate them to earlier assigned readings, guest speakers or activities. If you disagree with the reading(s), be sure to explain why.
2. Include two questions at the end of the post that relate to the material you read. At least one question should be about the legal readings. The second question can be about the legal readings or Elise Hancock.
3. Comment on one of your classmate’s posts by clicking the Reply link at the bottom of the post. To receive credit, your comment needs to be more thoughtful than a one-word “awesome” or “fascinating.”
4. If requested on last week’s post, post a revised story proposal. Include a sentence or two describing the cool factor. In other words, why would someone want to read your story?
   
5. Optional but helpful: Please share sources and/or feedback on your classmates’ revised story proposals.

2/12/12—2 Questions and Story Proposal

This week, we’re doing something a bit different:

1. Instead of posting a response to the readings, ask two questions about the readings and comment on one of your classmate’s questions by  noon Sunday, Feb. 12.
2. Also on the home page, post a short proposal of your paper (academic or journalistic) or multimedia project by  noon Sunday, Feb. 12. See possible topics. I added examples of student stories and multimedia projects. A multimedia project needs to include a short written component.
3. Be sure to comment on at least one of your classmate’s story proposals.

2/5/12—Cheerleader or Watchdog?

Enter your response, two questions and comment on a classmate’s post below. In addition, be sure to check out the examples of student stories and multimedia projects I added on the Project topics page.

1/30/12—Accuracy and Uncertainty

Click the Comments link below for the Jan. 30 responses, questions and comments.