7.12 Self-teaching questions


Exercise One: Finding policy stories

At which three of these venues are you most likely to hear about a new science policy development?
  1. At a political gathering where a candidate delivers a speech
  2. At the annual meeting of a science ministry or agency
  3. During a courtesy visit by a prime minister to an orphanage
  4. In a quarterly journal focused on theoretical mathematics
  5. At a news conference of Microsoft about its annual strategy
Exercise two: finding policy stories

You've been asked to cover the 50th International Microorganism Conference. In the opening session, the five keynote speakers are the prime minister of the host country, the chair of the International Microorganism Society, the vice minister of health of the host country, the president of the host university, and a prestigious Nobel Prize-winning life scientist. Who are the newsmakers? Make a list of the speakers in the order of likelihood that they will yield a news story for your newspaper, magazine, or TV station. Explain what kind of news might come out of each speech.

Exercise three: Finding the policy angle

Suppose you write for a general mass media and have read the following claims. Which of the claims are most news worthy for a policy story for your outlet and chosen topics?
  1. A famous earth scientist complains that the funding for his field has been too small.
  2. An epidemiologist warns that without developing a human H5N1 vaccine, pandemic flu is inevitable in her region in the coming months.
  3. A life scientist says that stem cell research in her country has been over-restricted and there should not be many ethical constraints.
  4. A science minister calls for his country to be more innovation-based.
  5. A scientist chairing a big proteomics project complains that funds promised for his project have been appropriated to other research programs.
Exercise four: Reporting the science angle

Suppose you are at a small meeting about international science cooperation where you heard from a science ministry official that their ministry is brewing a policy to limit the participation of foreign researchers in locally funded research. Imagine there are various participants in this meeting - policymakers, policy researchers, scientists. Try to find three interviewees and design short questions for them about this policy. Remember your time is very limited.

Exercise five: Dealing with sensitive information

A source tells you that many scientists oppose a massive engineering project that costs billions of dollars and may have disastrous environmental consequences. However, no one is speaking openly about this project. Which are the best ways for you initially to track down some critical yet reliable information?
  1. Book a formal interview with the ministry officials responsible for the project
  2. Search Google Scholar with key words related to the project and its possible impact
  3. Read the website of the ministry backing the project
  4. Read relevant international media reports
  5. Explore the websites of United Nations agencies



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