Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2007. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-127).

Science journalism has been studied from the perspectives of science journalists in the West. However, studies of science journalism from the perspectives of general reporters in developing or developed countries are scarce. This study was a survey of general reporters in Ghana belonging to the Ghana Journalists Association. In all, 151 members responded to a self-administered questionnaire that the researcher delivered to their worksites and a central location. Respondents were asked mainly about their demographic and professional characteristics, sources used for reporting science, number of science stories reported in the past 12 months, topics of science reporting interest, factors motivating or serving as barriers to science reporting, and the future of science journalism in Ghana. Data were analyzed using statistical tools and content analysis. The demographic and professional characteristics resembled those found previously in Ghana and elsewhere. The most commonly cited format of science journalism training was workshops or seminars after graduation. Health professionals and scientists were perceived as very important sources for science stories, and the respondents recalled interviewing them more frequently than others. Generally, respondents reported writing more science news stories than science features. There was an inverse correlation between the number of years spent in journalism and the number of science features reported (p = 0.017). Health science was the most commonly cited topic of reporting interest. Most respondents indicated that training in science journalism or access to scientific research findings would motivate them to report science more. Many cited lack of training in science reporting or lack of contact information for scientific researchers as barriers to science reporting. Many respondents said the current status of science journalism in Ghana is low, and most favored increasing the amount of science journalism, in part to promote public literacy in science. The findings indicate that Ghana should consider offering more science journalism training, particularly in journalism schools, and should promote ready access of journalists to research findings and to contact information of scientific researchers.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

Background: Science journalism is essential for keeping citizens of democracies informed and educated, this is part of the public service concept. However, some authors assume much arbitrariness of selectivity mark science news as a peculiar journalistic genre. This study investigates how science news are valued alongside general news in swedish public service programme Rapport. Method: The science features from two years of prime time broadcasts of Rapport was analyzed quantitatively by means of content analysis. Results: Studies with some connection to Sweden, a ”human angle”, emphasizing health risk, seems most likely to be covered. Conclusions: Put into context, the results was interpreted as invalid in some respects that support the conjecture of the peculiar nature of science news. The findings therefore suggest that news value theory needs special revision to account for newsworthiness in science.

Orientador: Maria José Pereira Monteiro de Almeida / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T07:10:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dias_RicardoHenriqueAlmeida_D.pdf: 6860662 bytes, checksum: 1a6a3fe71aee45a75172e31344ab14ea (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: O jornalismo científico, como praticado atualmente no Brasil, se ocupa quase que exclusivamente dos resultados da ciência. Os processos históricos, sociais, políticos e econômicos em que a ciência está envolvida quase sempre são esquecidos pela mídia. A metodologia empregada e os equívocos ao longo do processo também são deixados de lado quando os jornalistas se deparam com o que consideram um acontecimento merecedor de receber um tratamento jornalístico. O público que tem acesso aos produtos jornalísticos acaba por ter contato apenas com essa "ponta de iceberg" da prática científica. Com esse problema, elegi a etapa de formação de jornalistas, a graduação, como um local adequado para trabalhar com um possível encaminhamento para minimizar esse problema. Assim, tive por objetivos compreender o funcionamento de uma unidade de ensino sobre aspectos teóricos e práticos do jornalismo científico em que sejam abordados processos da ciência e construir um dispositivo de análise que contemple especificidades do campo jornalístico, mais especificamente do jornalismo científico, para que nos auxiliasse tanto na elaboração da unidade de ensino quanto na análise das interpretações dos discursos de estudantes de jornalismo. A unidade de ensino foi dividida em cinco eixos: aspectos introdutórios do jornalismo e do jornalismo científico; filosofia e epistemologia da ciência e suas relações com o jornalismo científico; pesquisas sobre jornalismo científico; narrativa jornalística e jornalismo científico e produção em jornalismo científico. Em todos esses eixos foi abordado como se trabalhar com os processos da ciência, em especial na abordagem do jornalismo enquanto expressão narrativa da contemporaneidade, noção que considerei propícia para a compreensão da relevância em trazer os processos da ciência para o jornalismo científico. A análise de discurso foi mobilizada para se compreender como os alunos produziram sentidos com relação à unidade de ensino. Os estudantes conseguiram fazer algumas relações satisfatórias entre a relevância em se abordar os processos da ciência, notar o problema em se deter só nos resultados e apontarem como o jornalismo narrativo poderia criar condições para a cobertura dos processos da ciência, enumerando diversas consequências que a narrativa poderia oferecer ao jornalismo, como chamar a atenção dos leitores, desmistificar a ciência e facilitar o entendimento da ciência para um público amplo. As reportagens produzidas pelos estudantes foram além de meramente expor os resultados da ciência e trouxeram aspectos históricos, sociais, econômicos e conceituais em que estão envolvidos esses resultados. A abordagem desses aspectos foi possível com o uso de elementos narrativos, como marcação temporal (uso de locuções que denotam temporalidade e ruptura), mudança de cenário e uso de personagens. Isso me permite reforçar a tese de que trabalhar com aspectos narrativos do jornalismo abre a possibilidade para a abordagem dos processos da ciência no jornalismo científico / Abstract: Science journalism, as currently practiced in Brazil, is concerned almost exclusively with the results of science. The historical, social, political and economic processes in which science is involved are often forgotten by the media. The methodology and errors in the process are also left out when journalists encounter with what they consider an event worthy of receiving a journalistic treatment. Public who has access to this kind of journalism can only see the "tip of the iceberg" of scientific practice. With this issue, I have chosen to work in a undergraduate journalism course as a suitable place to work with a possible solution to minimize this problem. So I aimed to understand how a teaching unit composed with theoretical and practical aspects of science journalism with processes of science worked among journalism students. The teaching unit was divided into five areas: introductory aspects of journalism and science journalism; philosophy and epistemology of science and its relationship with science journalism; research on science journalism; narrative journalism and science journalism; and production in science journalism. In all of these areas I worked with the processes of science, especially in the journalism approach as narrative expression of contemporaneity, a notion that I considered propitious for understanding the importance of bringing the processes of science to science journalism. The discourse analysis was mobilized to understand how the students produced meanings with regard to teaching unit. Students were able to make some satisfactory relationships between relevance in approaching the processes of science, noted the problem in covering only the results and suggest how the narrative journalism could create conditions for coverage of the processes of science, listing several consequences that the narrative could offer to journalism, such as calling the attention of readers, demystify science and facilitate the understanding of science to a wide audience. The reports produced by the students were beyond merely set out the results of science and brought historical, social, economic and conceptual aspects that are involved in these results. This was possible with the use of narrative elements such as the use of phrases denoting temporality and rupture, change of scenery and use of characters. This allows me to reinforce the thesis that work with narrative journalism opens the possibility to approach the processes of science in science journalism / Doutorado / Ensino e Práticas Culturais / Doutor em Educação

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Todd F. Simon / The debate over human origins was a prominent fixture of U.S. news coverage during the first decade of the 21st century. During this period, U.S. news media featured regular portrayals of an all-out culture war between supporters of biological evolution and advocates of so-called “rival theories” of human origins. In the end, this war would cost American taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees, confuse science students, divide communities with unparalleled animosities, and alter public policy at the city, county and state level. While there have been previous content analyses performed on U.S. newspaper coverage of evolution and its primary challenger, an idea called "intelligent design," these analyses have tended to be somewhat informal (Mooney & Nisbet, 2005) or lacking (Martin, et al., 2006). The following study addresses these gaps in the literature. Using content analysis, the following study examines hard news coverage of intelligent design presented in 12 U.S. newspapers of varying circulation size and storytelling influence. A final sample of 421 newspaper articles originally published between the years 2000 and the end of the year 2009 is analyzed herein. Results demonstrate that U.S. newspapers initially framed intelligent design as primarily a religious / unscientific concept, but that intelligent design was increasingly framed as a scientific / unreligious concept leading up to, during and after the landmark 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover trial. Additionally, this study finds no significant differences in framing intelligent design as a religious / unscientific or scientific / unreligious concept by dedicated science reporters and non-science reporters.

This thesis addressed the question, "How should journalists cover the environment, according to the conversation between the scholarship on environmental journalism and the handbooks on environmental journalism?" Do the handbooks, written for practicing journalists, agree with the academic scholarship on environmental journalism? The conversation between the literature and handbooks is important to examine, as the handbooks are tools journalists may use when reporting on the environment. The handbooks could influence a journalist, who influences the public, who make decisions in a democracy. As well, examining the conversation between the literature and the handbooks reveals whether or not the academy and the practice agree on how to respond to the criticisms and challenges of environmental journalism. Do they offer the same tips for improvement? First, an extensive literature review on environmental journalism revealed the criticisms, challenges, and tips to improve. Second, a qualitative document analysis examined handbooks published for journalists covering the environment to capture definitions, meanings, and similarities and differences among them. Third, the results of the literature review and the results of the document analysis were compared to examine if the handbooks respond, emulate, or differ from the literature content. Findings include five qualitative document analyses of the handbooks, and a comparative essay of the handbooks to the scholarly literature. These findings were based on the researcher's interpretive analysis. The conversation between the literature and handbooks is a healthy one. As the literature presents challenges and criticisms, the handbooks suggest solutions. Most importantly, as the literature presents tips and techniques for improvement, the handbooks agree with the ways to improve. Overall, the scholarship on environmental journalism and the handbooks on environmental journalism are "on the same page." Both support understanding audience needs, obtaining a solid understanding of a topic before reporting, addressing environmental issues thoroughly, translating the science, providing the history of a topic, addressing risk, using diverse sources, maintaining long-term coverage, disseminating objective information, and more training for journalists.

<p>Abstract</p><p>Purpose/Aim: The aim of this essay is to paint a picture of science news reporting in the Swedish Public Service science programme, vetenskaps-radion. Key issues to be adressed are: What areas in science are prioritised? How much of the total broadcast time are devoted to each area? Are there any differences in reporting between weeks? How well does the swedish science radio match common interets? Are the news in the form of short “soundbites” or are they more lengthy in-depth?</p><p>Material/Method: Quantitative analysis of radio programmes. The variables used are based on the different major areas in natural sciences.</p><p>Main results: This study shows that most broadcast time is devoted to news regarding biology and medicine and that the news rather are in the form of short snippets of news than more lengty in-depth stories. This is put in light of how journalistes tend to present news and that the subjects involved has to relate to peoples everyday lives. Furthermore, radio as a medium dictates that the listeners attention needs to be maintained throughout the broadcast, which may be a reason for the tendency to present short news snippets.</p><p>Keywords:</p><p>Science journalism, radio, science communication, news reporting</p>

Abstract Purpose/Aim: The aim of this essay is to paint a picture of science news reporting in the Swedish Public Service science programme, vetenskaps-radion. Key issues to be adressed are: What areas in science are prioritised? How much of the total broadcast time are devoted to each area? Are there any differences in reporting between weeks? How well does the swedish science radio match common interets? Are the news in the form of short “soundbites” or are they more lengthy in-depth? Material/Method: Quantitative analysis of radio programmes. The variables used are based on the different major areas in natural sciences. Main results: This study shows that most broadcast time is devoted to news regarding biology and medicine and that the news rather are in the form of short snippets of news than more lengty in-depth stories. This is put in light of how journalistes tend to present news and that the subjects involved has to relate to peoples everyday lives. Furthermore, radio as a medium dictates that the listeners attention needs to be maintained throughout the broadcast, which may be a reason for the tendency to present short news snippets. Keywords: Science journalism, radio, science communication, news reporting

Mokslo žinių sklaidos visuomenei procesas, tarpininkaujant žiniasklaidos kanalams, apima tris pagrindinius komunikacijos dalyvius: mokslininkus, žurnalistus ir visuomenę. Kada pastarieji yra suinteresuoti ir aktyviai dalyvauja procese, mokslo žurnalistikos procesas gali būti efektyvus ir realizuoti šiuolaikinio komunikacijos proceso – interaktyvaus dialogo – reikalavimus. Komunikacijos tarp žurnalistų ir mokslininkų, tarp mokslininkų ir visuomenės, tarp žurnalistų ir visuomenės ypatumai yra svarbūs, kalbant apie mokslo populiarinimo sklaidos žiniasklaidos kanalais sistemingumą, vertinant mokslo žurnalistikos profesionalumą. Šiame darbe yra analizuojami komunikacijos tarp mokslininkų ir žurnalistų ypatumai, aptariant ir kitų mokslo populiarinimo komunikacijos proceso dalyvių santykius bei ryšius. Darbo tikslas – išanalizuoti mokslo ir žurnalistikos sąveikos trūkumus, atskleisti mokslininkų ir žurnalistų komunikacijos ypatumus bei parengti profesionaliosios mokslo žurnalistikos kūrimo gaires Lietuvai, įvertinant Suomijos patirtį. Darbo objektas – žurnalistų, mokslininkų ir kitų Lietuvos bei Suomijos ekspertų šiandieninės mokslo žurnalistikos vertinimai. Pirmasis darbo uždavinys, - remiantis mokslinės literatūros srautu, atskleisti mokslo žurnalistikos sociokomunikacines prielaidas bei identifikuoti vyraujančius mokslo populiarinimo teorinius modelius. Apžvelgus mokslinę literatūrą ir identifikavus mokslo populiarinimo raidos bei transformacijų ypatumus, matoma, kad tikslumas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Transmission of scientific news through media channels involves three main communication members: scientists, journalists and society. If all three participants are active and interested in communication, effective process of science journalism or even interactive dialogue between communication members can be realized. Interaction peculiarities in communication between journalists and scientists, between scientists and society or between journalists and society are significant while describing consistency of scientific news in media channels or evaluating science journalism professionalism in the country. In this thesis peculiarities of scientists’ and journalists’ communication are analyzed and intercourses between other communication members are discussed. The aim of this thesis was to identify weaknesses of interaction between systems of science and journalism, to find out communication peculiarities in scientists’ and journalists’ socialization and to frame guidelines for professional science journalism in Lithuania, while evaluating Finish experiences. The title of the thesis - Science journalism: assumptions, experiences and challenges in Lithuania and Finland. The first objective of this thesis was to identify science journalism socio-communicational assumptions and to evaluate dominating popular science communication models according to the flow of scientific literature. It was found, that problems of accuracy and objectivity in science journalism were significant... [to full text]