Science in the News: A Study of Reporting Genomics

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Abstract
Scientists and academicians in the field of science writing agree that context and method are important components of research to be reported. This ideal is balanced by science journalists who try to relay findings with a minimum of complex and potentially confusing facts. Here, a specific report on genomics is traced from its original source in a scientific journal through to popular press publications. These data were examined in the context of previously published findings that have shown that the reader needs a clear understanding of the context of reported results to make an informed judgment about their meaning. This study reveals that these five reports, ranging from research article to popular press news article, differ in what is said rather than how it is said. This is surprising given the premise that in science reporting, the primary role of the journalist is to translate science into non-scientific language.