inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
get healthing in your inbox with the morning checkup and weekender newsletter!

journalists may be too careful in their coverage of science news

sensationalization of research is one of the key criticisms of science coverage in the media, but a new study says the opposite might be true.

by emma jones
published mar 21, 2022
last updated feb 17, 2023
read time 3 minute read
join the conversation
read time 3 minute read
join the conversation
are journalists be too careful in their coverage of science news?
with information moving at a faster pace than ever before, it’s incredibly easy to feel overwhelmed. getty
science journalists may be expressing greater uncertainty in the coverage of research studies than the researchers themselves, according to a new study from the university of michigan. researchers compiled a collection of 128,942 u.s.-based news articles and the abstract of the research paper they reported on. these articles were from 273 different news outlets covering 57,807 different scientific articles. by comparing the language and context in each abstract/news article pair, the researchers indicated that, in general, news used language and sentence structures that communicate less certainty than the research articles.
“the findings presented in the science news are actually lower than the certainty of the same scientific findings presented in the paper extracts,” jiaxin pei, an author on the paper, told poynter.
examples of using uncertain language when reporting on a research study include using phrases like “we suspect a has effects on b,” versus “we conclude that a has effects on b.” other words, like possibly, maybe, and approximately, also expressed a degree of uncertainty.
the researchers noted that only looking at the abstracts of these studies is a limiting factor. more research into the actual study is needed to get a larger picture of the differing ways science is being communicated.

related stories

michael schutz on the ‘beeping hellscape’ in hospitals
beeping medical devices are so annoying, a nurse once described her workplace as a “beeping hellscape" to researcher michael schutz.
those annoying medical device sounds can be made better with a small tweak, micheal schutz said.

when it comes to facial scars, we are 'our own worst critics'
people with scars on their faces are likely to perceive them as more severe than their own surgeon, or even a stranger.
patients' facial scars may feel more visible to them than to other people. getty
story continues below

society is biased toward results

however, not all researchers are convinced that reporting on news stories is entirely non-sensationalized. a case study published in the journal of science communication looked at the reporting from australian news agencies on a single research article as an example.
the authors argue that a positive spin is introduced in all areas of a scientific article’s life. a researcher writing a grant, for example, needing to secure funding may overemphasize the potential benefits of their project to generate more interest and funding. dedicating a significant amount of space in a grant application to reasons why a project might not work or why the findings might not be significant may hurt the applicant’s chances, especially in an era when competition for research funding is severe and applications are often strictly limited in terms of word count or number of pages.
once the research is published, pr professionals for the research institute or university are also inclined to do the same. their job is to generate interest in the research being done and attract media attention, which is most successful when the focus is on the effects of the research, versus giving equal attention to the factors that may detract from researchers’ findings. journalists are under similar pressure — it’s no secret that a snappy, bold headline generates far more clicks, compared to a balanced, nuanced explanation of the research.
story continues below

what does this mean for readers?

with information moving at a faster pace than ever before, it’s incredibly easy to feel overwhelmed.
look for news articles that include mitigating factors, such as the potential side effects of a new drug, or other research that contradicts the findings in the new study.
signs of a good report on a research article also include details about how the research itself was carried out. for example, how many participants were involved in the study and whether the study was conducted on humans, animals or is based on survey observations.
giving another viewpoint on the topic, like a different study or including analysis from another expert in the field who isn’t part of the original study is also key to getting an understanding on where new studies fall into the bigger picture.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on twitter @jonesyjourn.
don’t miss a thing: sign-up for healthing’s newsletter
thank you for your support. if you liked this story, please send it to a friend. every share counts. 

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

you may also like
gettyimages-1558314033
staying cool: managing heat sensitivity while living with chronic disease and medication
female athlete setting up smart watch before workout in a forest. beautiful asian sportswoman checking data on her gadget outdoor.
next-level health: wearables and apps redefining access to health care
nurse, doctor and man with blood pressure test in hospital for heart health or wellness. healthcare, hypertension consultation and medical physician with patient for examination with sphygmomanometer
opinion: nurses need genetics in 'their dna' to improve patient care
sad woman sitting by the river.
can genetic tweaks combat anxiety? new study suggests it’s possible
asian woman using cotton swab while doing coronavirus pcr test. woman takes coronavirus sample from her nose at home. woman at home using a nasal swab for covid-19. - stock photo
at-home health kits: pros, cons and everything you need to know
you may also like
gettyimages-1558314033
staying cool: managing heat sensitivity while living with chronic disease and medication
female athlete setting up smart watch before workout in a forest. beautiful asian sportswoman checking data on her gadget outdoor.
next-level health: wearables and apps redefining access to health care
nurse, doctor and man with blood pressure test in hospital for heart health or wellness. healthcare, hypertension consultation and medical physician with patient for examination with sphygmomanometer
opinion: nurses need genetics in 'their dna' to improve patient care
sad woman sitting by the river.
can genetic tweaks combat anxiety? new study suggests it’s possible
you may also like
gettyimages-1558314033
staying cool: managing heat sensitivity while living with chronic disease and medication
female athlete setting up smart watch before workout in a forest. beautiful asian sportswoman checking data on her gadget outdoor.
next-level health: wearables and apps redefining access to health care