Comments on: The Naked Civil Servant http://corycia.net/2008/01/08/the-naked-civil-servant/ Musings on physics and life Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:45:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: hywel http://corycia.net/2008/01/08/the-naked-civil-servant/comment-page-1/#comment-55 hywel Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:46:16 +0000 http://corycia.net/2008/01/08/the-naked-civil-servant/#comment-55 I guess I'd say that I have more respect for science journos, and other 'technical' journos such as, say, financial or health ones, and less for 'gossip' journalists. One thing that has stuck with me is that it is no good whining about a journalist not understanding your topic (which I never did much anyway, but it's common amongst scientists) - it's as much the specialist's job to make sure the public understand what the point of their work is. After all, more often than not the public is paying our salaries... The main way I am using my course is that I am practising getting the principal point across in writing *first*, now I have seen how editing is carried out - basically, chopping with scissors from the bottom of the article upwards. Leave the technical detail until the end. It's been very useful. I guess I’d say that I have more respect for science journos, and other ‘technical’ journos such as, say, financial or health ones, and less for ‘gossip’ journalists. One thing that has stuck with me is that it is no good whining about a journalist not understanding your topic (which I never did much anyway, but it’s common amongst scientists) – it’s as much the specialist’s job to make sure the public understand what the point of their work is. After all, more often than not the public is paying our salaries…

The main way I am using my course is that I am practising getting the principal point across in writing *first*, now I have seen how editing is carried out – basically, chopping with scissors from the bottom of the article upwards. Leave the technical detail until the end.

It’s been very useful.

]]> By: Michael Kenward http://corycia.net/2008/01/08/the-naked-civil-servant/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Michael Kenward Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:21:32 +0000 http://corycia.net/2008/01/08/the-naked-civil-servant/#comment-51 But what did you learn about dealing with the media? Do you plan to exploit your crash course? Do you have perhaps a little more respect for, and understanding of, the poor souls who have to get all that science stuff into the media? But what did you learn about dealing with the media? Do you plan to exploit your crash course? Do you have perhaps a little more respect for, and understanding of, the poor souls who have to get all that science stuff into the media?

]]>