SCIENCE AND

HEALTH WRITING
 SCIENCE NEWS- may be defined as a body
and accurate information on science and
technology activities using a popular
medium to keep the general public
informed on the various research results and
the benefits derived from them.
Example:

The incidence of acute otitis media (AOM) one of the

most common diagnoses among children appears to
be increasing. Data from the National Ambulatory
Medical Care Surveys (NAMCS) indicate that the
number of office visits for otitis media increased more
than two-fold from 1975 to 1990. Although the NAMCS
does not differentiate between AOM and otitis media
with effusion, the majority of these cases are believed
• In the United States, acute otitis media (AOM),
defined by convention as the first 3 weeks of a
process in which the middle ear shows the signs
and symptoms of acute inflammation, is the most
common affliction necessitating medical therapy for
children younger than 5 years.
 Members of the medical establishment are not
presently cognizant of efficacious treatment resulting in
the complete elimination of symptomatology in acute
viral nasopharyngitis

There is no known cure for the common colds

• Nasopharyngitis is commonly known as a cold. Doctors
use the term nasopharyngitis specifically to refer to
swelling of the nasal passages and the back of the throat.
Your doctor may also refer to this as an upper respiratory
infection or rhinitis.
• A virus or bacteria can cause nasopharyngitis. It can
spread through tiny air droplets that are expelled when a
person infected with the virus.
• You can also catch the virus or bacteria by
touching an object that’s contaminated with the
virus, such as a doorknob, toy, or phone, and
then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. The
virus or bacteria can rapidly spread in any group
setting, such as an office, classroom, or daycare
center.
 Technical Jargons

- Refers to the language that is

unrecognizable to most people or general
public
After the freak bus accident, the victim suffered from
bilateral periorbital hematoma caused by sudden impact
of bumping the iron bars

Due to bad sleeping position, the body gets into bad

contour that may bring torticollis and suffer terrible pain
 Elements of Science News
1.Content (What)
2.Location (Where)
3.Time (When)
4.People (Who)
5.Human Interest (How and Why)
 Science News seek to tell
1. Theresults or outcomes of scientific experiments
revealing a significant breakthrough beneficial to
the public.

Ex: The pulp and peel of calamansi, a citrus fruit common

to the Philippines contain more vitamin C and other
essential elements than what can be normally derived
from the juice.
 Science News seek to tell

2. Researchers who had an important

discovery
Ex: Mrs. Milagros A. Ramos, a Filipino researcher from
the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)
has developed a new process of producing oil from
coconut by using microorganisms
3. Scientific meetings and other gatherings where
research paper that tackled some problems are read in
public
Ex: Pediatrician will hold their 16th annual convention next
week at the Philippine International Convention Center
(PICC) to focus nationwide attention on two problems:
infection and malnutrition
 Kinds of Science News Story
1. Straight News
Ex: Wood Technologies of the Forest Product Research and Development
Institute recently develop a new low-cost rattan drier that could accelerate
growth of the rattan industry in the country.
2. Science Feature Articles (Timely news within human interest angle)
Ex:Vinegar is sour, but it can be sweet too! And bet you nothing sweeter
than when vinegar making spell a money-making business.
3. In-Depth News- Reporting beyond the surface is sprinkled with backgrounders
and interpretation (it maybe written in a series) It looks like an investigative
journalism
Kangkong found good for the weak heart

Kangkong, the poor man’s vegetable may not exactly appeal

to the business executive schooled in the infallibility of the
system of pills and injection.
Nor it can be said to be a sure-fire remedy, but the lowly
plants do appear to have some medicinal properties that could
alleviate heart condition.
Kangkong maybe said to be beneficial especially to
hypertensive according to Dr. Miguel Cornejo, Jr., a heart
specialist and member of the Philippine Heart Association.
 Sample of poor science writing

Crude extracts from some echinoderms like starfish and sea

cucumber and mollusks like conus mussel and clam were
tested for anti-bacterial activity in vitro suing the agar plate
method. The preparations used are as follows: 1) 10 per cent
reconstituted lyophilized, 10 per cent fresh homogenates in
distilled water 2) 100 per cent boiled extracts of animals and 3)
various concentrates of boiled homogenates of liver, intestines
and mussels
 Sample of a good science writing

Farmers can grow rice in only two and a half months.

About one month faster than it usually takes them. The
secret of this innovation is to plant the popular rice
variety IR-38 which matures in 110 days. Its seedlings are
raised in seedbed the moment they were transplanted in
the field to harvesting time. With this new method,
farmers can raise four rice crop a year.
 Few Rules on Style
1. Don’t use unnecessary words
Ex: Sugar centrals and big manufacturing plants like beverage companies
using high volume of water can expect improved water treatment and
pollution control with the introduction of an anti-pollution chemical already
found in the market (29 words)

Water treatment and pollution control in sugar centrals and beverage

companies can be improved by using anti-pollution chemical now in the
local market.
2. Use specific language
Ex: The use of vinegar was unfavorable to growth of
microorganisms (bad)

The use of vinegar lowered the microbial count in oyster

3. Redundancy-repetition of words or idea
About 20 kilos of abaca will be decorticated
Modern science of today…….
4. Use active verbs

Ex: , Cadang-cadang a coconut disease is caused by

thalium

Thalium causes cadang-cadang disease in coconut

Science features are stories that follow an informal
(relaxed and conversational) , creative (use novelty
leads) and amusing (entertaining) style of writing with
a touch of human interest.
 Characteristics of a good science writing

1. Variety of tones (from serious to light)

2. May not just inform ( instruct, advise, argue)
3. Use catchy beginning
4. More entertaining
5. Use imagination but not fiction
6. Creative yet factual
7. Rarely begin with summary lead
8. Usually longer than straight news
9. May or may not be timely
10. Human interest angle
11. Written in friendly tone (conversational)
 Types of Science Features

1. Interview (success story)

2. Informative (story of facts)
3. Practical (How-to-do story)
4. Seasonal (time or occasion related story)
5. Historical (remembering of the past)
6. Personal (sharing of science experience and anecdotes)
 Parts of Science Feature
1.Title- clear and concise
Gist: A meta-analysis on the risk of lymphoma development in
auto-immune disease
Science feature title: Blood Cancer May Affect Other Body Disease!
Gist: Brain natriuretic peptide: a potentially useful screening tool
for the protection of cardio vascular disease for patients with
rheumatoid arthritis
Science Feature Title: Heart Disease Detected in Patients with
Arthritis
2. Introduction-catch the attention and interest of the
reader
a. Rhetorical Question: Which has higher content of vitamin C in calamansi? The juice or
the peel?
b. Startling statement: From ash to cash- the brighter side of Pinatubo ash fall!
c. Narrative opening: a suspended interest story on the struggle of a young child in a
battle with bone marrow cancer- How long will she live? Has science been successful in
giving her the hope to survive thru the bone marrow surgery?
d. Direct quotation: “Banana industry is a sagging enterprise.”
e. An old saying: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure
f. Historical analysis: A narrative on the historical growth and development of a
situation or event
3. The Body- do not overwhelm your readers with details but only
few important facts

Important reminders
unity of thoughts
coherence in ideas presented
emphasis on priority facts
These can be achieved when you have
central theme/statement
eliminate extraneous details
if you bridge transition and avoid abrupt transition
4. The Ending-conclusion of the science story