Tips and Resources for Writing Scientific Blogs
How do you communicate effectively and dramatically so that others want to read and hear what you have to say?
Writing the title and "teaser"
Good titles are short, informative, and fun but not so cute as to be obscure. The teaser is a short sentence or two following the title, which amplifies the title and should be intriguing enough to make the reader want to keep going.
Writing leads
Your lead (or “lede” to use the journalists’ spelling) is the opening sentence or paragraph that summarizes the most important aspects of the story, or says enough to invite the reader to want to read to the end to learn more (the answer to the question, the solution to the mystery, etc.).
Writing and editing resources
Here are a few helpful links to get you started writing as a science communicator, blogger, science advocate, and science outreach enthusiast.
- 12 Tips for Scientists Writing for the General Public by Katie L. Burke
- How to Write Short by Hanna Bloch
- Secrets of Good Science Writing Series, includes how to pitch, avoid common mistakes, write about research, and science blog.
- The Open Notebook provides tools and resources to help science, environmental, and health journalists at all experience levels sharpen their skills. Here's their "Getting Started" guide, with tips from education to fact checking.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab
- NPR Training
- NYT Campus Weblines
- Columbia University News Reporting and Writing
- 6 Tips for Catching Your Writing Mistakes