A good healty news article starts with fully focussing your idea – whether you are writing a short news item, a feature story, an editorial, a piece of advice or a fact-check. The format you’re working in will have a big impact on this, as will the audience you’re writing for.
Writing health articles is challenging because the potential for sensationalism often leads to a focus on dramatic or alarming aspects of research and a lack of context, which damages understanding and trust in science. It is therefore crucial to clearly explain the limitations of research, and where a finding sits within the broader scientific landscape. Research shows that mentioning caveats in a story does not reduce its uptake, and can actually increase reader interest and engagement.
