Reporting the science of COVID-19

Thousands of scientific papers on COVID-19 are published every week. Many of these papers are based on research findings, case studies and expert views that can potentially make news. How can journalists find these publications, spot the news and report on them? That is the main focus of “Reporting the science of COVID-19”.

This is a self-paced course introducing journalists to the science of COVID-19, sources of credible research findings, interpreting research findings and packaging accurate science stories that are appealing to their audiences. The course is intended for journalists who report on the coronavirus but have little or no experience in science journalism. It is designed to provide the participant with a lot of learning within a short time and at their convenience.

The course is divided into three modules, each taking not more than one hour online. Each module is designed to be short but informative and engaging.

Module 1: Emerging respiratory viruses: why COVID-19 might not be the last

Module 2: Sources of COVID-19 research information

Module 3: Packaging the COVID-19 science story

Prior to commencing Module 1, we recommend that you read the practical guide “How to report the science of COVID-19”.

This course was made possible thanks to funding from Sida.