The Open Notebook

Getting Yourself on the Scene: How to Fund and Plan Field-Reporting Trips - The Open Notebook Field reporting brings color and context to a story that are often impossible to capture from afar. But getting yourself on the scene is no easy task. Intrepid reporters must battle competitive grant ...

Most of my stories are reported from my desk, interviewing from afar and doing my best to describe exciting scientific work that I rarely actually witness.

This is a helpful piece at @theopennotebook.bsky.social on field reporting. I'm trying to do more:

www.theopennotebook.com/2026/03/03/g...

Getting Yourself on the Scene: How to Fund and Plan Field-Reporting Trips - The Open Notebook Field reporting brings color and context to a story that are often impossible to capture from afar. But getting yourself on the scene is no easy task. Intrepid reporters must battle competitive grant ...

As a freelancer, selling multiple stories helps you get the most value from your time when in the field, especially on longer trips when you aren’t taking other work, as @goesbykim.bsky.social did when she traveled to Brazil to report on the impacts of neurotoxic pesticides on farmers. 🧪

Estar en el lugar de los hechos: cómo financiar y planear viajes de reporteo de campo - The Open Notebook El reporteo de campo aporta color y contexto a una historia que a menudo es imposible capturar a distancia. Pero colocarte en el lugar de los hechos no es tarea fácil. Reporteros intrépidos deben enfr...

Una base de investigación profunda también puede mejorar las probabilidades de que una publicación financie tu reporteo, escribe becaria de TON/@bwfund.bsky.social @skylerdware.bsky.social, en esta historia con @astrolisa.bsky.social, @sofiamoutinho.bsky.social, y otros. #TONenEspañol 🧪

Getting Yourself on the Scene: How to Fund and Plan Field-Reporting Trips - The Open Notebook Field reporting brings color and context to a story that are often impossible to capture from afar. But getting yourself on the scene is no easy task. Intrepid reporters must battle competitive grant ...

A foundation of in-depth research can improve the chances that a publication will finance your reporting, writes @bwfund.bsky.social‬ early-career fellow @skylerdware.bsky.social, in this story with @astrolisa.bsky.social, @goesbykim.bsky.social, @sofiamoutinho.bsky.social, and others. 🧪

Covering scientific accountability informs audiences and promotes transparency in scientific research and publishing, with the ultimate goal of strengthening public trust. We're grateful for the chance to team up with @retractionwatch.com to provide this opportunity to reporters in local newsrooms.

I'm quoted in this article about pitching stories by @lucilapinto.bsky.social 👇

¿Por qué ahora? Encuentra un gancho para que tu pitch sea oportuno - The Open Notebook Encontrar qué hace que una historia sea oportuna es esencial para pitchear un artículo. Algunas historias tienen un gancho temporal obvio, como una nueva publicación científica, un premio, o un hito e...

Algunas historias vienen acompañadas de un gancho temporal claro, como una nueva publicación o un premio. Pero otras pueden requerir más creatividad o trabajo previo para encontrar el “por qué ahora." A continuación te explicamos cómo hacerlo. #TONenEspañol 🧪

Why Now? Find a Hook to Make Your Pitch Timely - The Open Notebook Finding what makes a story timely is essential for pitching a piece. Some stories offer a straightforward time hook, such as a new paper, award, or project milestone. But in other cases, it takes more...

Some stories, writes TON/@bwfund.bsky.social‬ early-career fellow Lucila Pinto, come with a clear time hook, such as a new publication or award. But others can take more creativity or pre-reporting to find the “why now” that anchors a piece. Here’s how. 🧪

Congratulations and Welcome to TON’s 2026 Early-Career Fellows - The Open Notebook We are excited to introduce our newest early-career fellows, Elise Cutts, Xilena Pinedo, and Rohini Subrahmanyam. With generous support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Elise, Xilena, and Rohini will...

Get to know this year’s fellows and follow along as they help demystify the craft of science journalism. Because every story is a science story.

We can’t wait to see what they do!

Early-Career Fellowship Program - The Open Notebook Every year, The Open Notebook offers a paid, part-time fellowship program for early-career science journalists. This ten-month program offers fellows the opportunity to explore their career interests ...

Over the past 11 years, our fellows have written more than 140 stories for TON, which have been read by tens of thousands of people in almost every country in the world. You can find these stories here.

Rohini is a freelance science journalist with a PhD in biology, mostly covering the life sciences, with bylines in @sciam.bsky.social, @knowablemag.bsky.social, and others. She is also a science writer at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Her mentor is @kamal-t.bsky.social.

@bichacientifica.bsky.social is a Peruvian science journalist covering health, environmental issues, and climate change. Her reporting focuses on environmental justice and the relationship between scientific research, public policy, and Indigenous knowledge. Her mentor is @sarahmgilman.bsky.social.

@elisecutts.bsky.social is a U.S.-American freelance science journalist based in Austria and writes on planets, physical science, and more. Her stories appear in @quantamagazine.bsky.social, @sciam.bsky.social, @sciencenews.bsky.social, and others. @anilananth.bsky.social is her mentor.

With generous support from @bwfund.bsky.social‬, the fellows will spend the year working with their mentors and the TON editorial team to report and write articles on the craft of science journalism. With their mentors, this year’s cohort of early-career fellows span 4 continents!

Congratulations and Welcome to TON’s 2026 Early-Career Fellows - The Open Notebook We are excited to introduce our newest early-career fellows, Elise Cutts, Xilena Pinedo, and Rohini Subrahmanyam. With generous support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Elise, Xilena, and Rohini will...

We are so excited to introduce our newest slate of early-career fellows! They are: @elisecutts.bsky.social, @bichacientifica.bsky.social and Rohini Subrahmanyam! 🧵 🧪

Cuándo y cómo incluir a las personas jóvenes como fuentes - The Open Notebook Las personas menores de 18 años constituyen casi un tercio de la población mundial, pero por lo general están poco representadas en el periodismo. En circunstancias adecuadas y cuando el tiempo lo per...

Los niños “siempre estarán asociados en los resultados de búsqueda con su historia”, le dice @rachelleighhale.bsky.social a @willvh.bsky.social. Este es uno de los muchos factores que los periodistas deben tener en cuenta antes de entrevistar a niños. #TONenEspañol 🧪

When and How to Include Young People as Sources - The Open Notebook People under 18 make up almost one-third of the global population, but they are generally poorly represented in journalism. Under the appropriate circumstances, and when time allows, incorporating chi...

Children “will always be associated in search results with their story,” @rachelleighhale.bsky.social tells @willvh.bsky.social. This is one of many factors for reporters to consider before interviewing kids. 🧪

Cuándo y cómo incluir a las personas jóvenes como fuentes - The Open Notebook Las personas menores de 18 años constituyen casi un tercio de la población mundial, pero por lo general están poco representadas en el periodismo. En circunstancias adecuadas y cuando el tiempo lo per...

Cuando las circunstancias y el tiempo lo permiten, incorporar las perspectivas de los niños en las historias puede ser enormemente poderoso, escribe @willvh.bsky.social en esta historia con @rachelleighhale.bsky.social, @rebeccaruiz.bsky.social, @raquelv.bsky.social y otros. #TONenEspañol 🧪

When and How to Include Young People as Sources - The Open Notebook People under 18 make up almost one-third of the global population, but they are generally poorly represented in journalism. Under the appropriate circumstances, and when time allows, incorporating chi...

When the circumstances and time allow, incorporating children’s perspectives into stories can be enormously powerful, writes @willvh.bsky.social in this story with @rachelleighhale.bsky.social, @rebeccaruiz.bsky.social, @raquelv.bsky.social, and others. 🧪

Cómo reportear las fallas de la ciencia en la era de desconfianza - The Open Notebook El periodismo científico que informa sobre fallas en el proceso científico opera en un entorno cargado de tensiones, con ataques a la ciencia y a los científicos en todo el mundo y una creciente preoc...

Ten cuidado con la forma en que planteas las historias sobre los fallos de la ciencia para evitar que tu trabajo sea malinterpretado o utilizado como arma. Este y otros consejos de @cathleenogrady.bsky.social, con @jbd-phd.bsky.social, @rochmyaningsih.bsky.social y muchos más. #TONenEspañol 🧪

Reporting on Flaws in Science in an Era of Mistrust - The Open Notebook Science journalism that reports on flaws in the scientific process operates in a fraught environment, with attacks on science and scientists worldwide and increasing concern about public mistrust in s...

Take care in how you frame stories about failings in science to guard against misreading or weaponization of your work. This and other tips from @cathleenogrady.bsky.social, with @jbd-phd.bsky.social, @stephaniemlee.bsky.social, @rochmyaningsih.bsky.social, and more. 🧪

Thanks to @cathleenogrady.bsky.social for including me in this important story! I'm quoted talking about how it's crucial to run your findings by experts, and how journalists have to accept that we ultimately don't control how our work gets used or interpreted.

The Best Science Stories and How They Work: A Collection with Commentary - The Open Notebook An invitation to engage with some of today’s most respected science journalists as they take readers beneath the surface to tell the stories behind eleven of the best science stories.

Coming this June! The Best Science Stories and How They Work, edited by @siricarpenter.bsky.social. Pre-order now at your favorite bookseller. If you order from @uchicagopress.bsky.social, use code UCPNEW for 30% off. 🧪

Cómo reportear las fallas de la ciencia en la era de desconfianza - The Open Notebook El periodismo científico que informa sobre fallas en el proceso científico opera en un entorno cargado de tensiones, con ataques a la ciencia y a los científicos en todo el mundo y una creciente preoc...

¿Estás cubriendo temas de integridad científica, como fraude, datos fabricados o prácticas problemáticas de publicación? Mantener buenas prácticas periodísticas es una forma de evitar alimentar la desconfianza al cubrir las fallas de la ciencia. #TONenEspañol 🧪

Reporting on Flaws in Science in an Era of Mistrust - The Open Notebook Science journalism that reports on flaws in the scientific process operates in a fraught environment, with attacks on science and scientists worldwide and increasing concern about public mistrust in s...

Covering issues of scientific integrity, such as fraud, fabricated data, or problematic publishing practices? Maintaining good journalism practices is one way to avoid fueling mistrust as you cover flaws in science. 🧪

Reporting on Flaws in Science in an Era of Mistrust - The Open Notebook Science journalism that reports on flaws in the scientific process operates in a fraught environment, with attacks on science and scientists worldwide and increasing concern about public mistrust in s...

Good piece by Cathleen O'Grady at @theopennotebook.bsky.social today. We can report on the failings of *scientists* without undermining *science*.

I'd add that headlines have a pretty vital role. All the nuance in the world can be undone by a clickbait hed.

www.theopennotebook.com/2026/02/10/r...

Cómo reportear las fallas de la ciencia en la era de desconfianza - The Open Notebook El periodismo científico que informa sobre fallas en el proceso científico opera en un entorno cargado de tensiones, con ataques a la ciencia y a los científicos en todo el mundo y una creciente preoc...

Los periodistas no pueden controlar las narrativas que otros crean a partir de sus historias, pero pueden asegurarse de que sus reportajes ofrezcan una imagen precisa del tema en cuestión. Una guía de @cathleenogrady.bsky.social, con @manuelansede.bsky.social y otros. #TONenEspañol 🧪

Reporting on Flaws in Science in an Era of Mistrust - The Open Notebook Science journalism that reports on flaws in the scientific process operates in a fraught environment, with attacks on science and scientists worldwide and increasing concern about public mistrust in s...

Journalists can’t control the narratives others spin from their stories, but they can ensure their reporting provides an accurate picture of the issue at hand. A guide from @cathleenogrady.bsky.social, with @richvn.bsky.social, @manuelansede.bsky.social, @fleerackers.bsky.social and others. 🧪

Twelve Tips to Tune Up Your Next Pitch - The Open Notebook Saugat Bolakhe Making your pitch stand out is a crucial skill for any freelancer or staff reporter. This may seem like an elusive talent, but with practice and careful attention to detail, you can lea...

There are 12 solid tips here to help you turn your next pitch into a story, straight from the editors themselves. 🧪

Twelve Tips to Tune Up Your Next Pitch - The Open Notebook Saugat Bolakhe Making your pitch stand out is a crucial skill for any freelancer or staff reporter. This may seem like an elusive talent, but with practice and careful attention to detail, you can lea...

For a TON International Students Slack Community pitch slam, @scigat.bsky.social hosted guests @rachelcourtland.com, @wwrfd.bsky.social, and @laurenjyoung.bsky.social. He condensed their best tips into this free resource, edited by @laurahelmuth.bsky.social, to help everyone pitch with success. 🧪