Science news reaches a broad range of audiences. Depending on the goal of the person tasked with writing a news release—whether it’s an academic or a researcher who wants to see their work in the public sphere, a journal editor or a public relations professional at a research institution—different strategies can be employed for reaching a particular audience. The key is to have a clear understanding of the research itself and the intended audiences.
For example, scientists working on projects geared toward schoolchildren might aim to get the message across that science is important, exciting and even fun, while those interested in policy implications will be more likely to focus on those aspects of the study. In addition to identifying the research’s relevance to specific disciplines and communities, science news releases should also provide basic information that can help reporters determine whether the research is of interest to their audiences.
Finally, a news release should clearly state who funded the research and, when relevant, how much funding was received. And it should include a quote from one of the researchers involved in order to show that they are capable of explaining the research to a general audience, rather than assuming that the readers will already have knowledge of the subject matter.
Of course, a news release is not the same as a scientific journal article, which can more fully convey the details of a particular piece of research. But if done well, a news release can effectively raise awareness of a research finding, with the subsequent news stories letting an even broader potential audience know about the underlying journal article.
