When covering the latest scientific study, make sure you do not fall into the trap of the 'single-study' problem
When covering academic and scientific findings, journalists face a struggle in condensing the complexity of studies and data into a way that the general public can understand.
However, in the process, reporters can often end up prioritising the findings of a single exceptional study over larger trends and patterns of other scientific findings.
In an interview for Journalists' Resource, research report Chloe Reichel spoke to Dietram A. Scheufele, Taylor-Bascom Chair in Science Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who gave his insights into reporting on scientific research.
"We don't believe in gravity because Newton dropped an apple. We believe in gravity because there have been hundreds and thousands of studies that have looked at the same principles," Scheufele explained.
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