Why AI Writing Tools Are Useless for Science News

There has been some discussion recently about ChatGPT, or its competitors, being used to take the place of human writers. I have good news: if you write about issues related to science, health or technology, you have nothing to worry about. These tools are simply not up to the task (yet). I want to talk about why.

Tips For Evaluating Health News Stories

News stories that talk about health and medicine can offer valuable insights into our understanding of the human body, its failings, and emerging treatments related to our well-being. But health stories can also be confusing or misleading. That means that we should all be critical consumers of health news.

Should a Science Magazine Endorse a Political Candidate? Why Not?

This is a seal of approval. (Photo credit: Craig Adderley. He is not responsible for my awful pun.)

Scientific American has, for the first time, endorsed a presidential candidate. I have seen some commentators bemoaning this decision. I, however, believe that SciAm made the right call. Here’s why…

Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Scientist

Approximately one gazillion years ago, I wrote a piece including tips from reporters about how to prepare for interviews with scientists. While that post is useful, several people have recently asked me for more specific guidance on how to interview researchers. Specifically, they wanted to know not only how to prepare, but what sorts of questions to ask.

Why Reporters Don’t Let Scientists Review Their Stories

Many scientists don’t understand why reporters won’t let scientists review draft versions of news stories before the stories are published. Some scientists think this is unfair and leads to inaccuracies in news stories about scientific research – but there are reasons that news outlets discourage this sort of pre-publication review. Let’s dig in to that a little bit.

Scared, But Resolute: Thoughts on the First Few Days of a Trump White House

Photo credit: Howard Ignatius. Shared under a Creative Commons license. Click for more information.

I grew up during the Cold War. My memories of childhood include a constant anxiety that ran just beneath the surface; the fear that, at any minute, someone would push a button that unleashed nuclear war.

If You Love Democracy, Buy a Newspaper

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A photograph taken at a Trump rally has been making the rounds on social media recently. It shows a man wearing a t-shirt that reads: “Rope. Tree. Journalist. Some assembly required.” It is a direct reference to lynching, and it should piss you off.

Some Questions and Thoughts on the NASW Officer Debate

Hey there, folks. This is some inside-baseball ruminating about the National Association of Science Writers (NASW), so feel free to skip this one if that’s not up your alley.

An Attempt to Outline What Constitutes ‘Valuable Journalism’

Photo credit: Brighter Than Sunshine. Shared under a Creative Commons License. Click for more information.

Journalism is essential to having an informed public, and therefore to having healthy, representative government. But the news that people actually read, watch or listen to is often focused on entertainment, sports, or funny cat videos. So, what constitutes “valuable” journalism? Is it what people want? Or is it what people “need”?