The Open Notebook

The Open Notebook is a non-profit organization recognized under 501(c)(3) that offers valuable tools and resources for journalists in the fields of science, environment, and health, regardless of their experience level. Our mission is based on two key beliefs: first, that effective science journalism is vital for society, and second, that the best way for journalists to improve their skills is through hands-on practice within a welcoming and diverse community of peers who are all working to enhance their abilities.

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Scientific Evidence Belongs in Any Beat

3 weeks ago | theopennotebook.com | Rachel Zamzow

We’ve been hard at work developing an interactive toolkit to help journalists on any beat bring more scientific evidence and context into their stories. This free resource, the Science Reporting Navigator, is being produced through a partnership between The Open Notebook and the Reynolds Journalism Institute. This toolkit stems from our core belief that science isn’t just a specialty beat.
¿Podrías repetir eso? Cómo alejar a las fuentes científicas de la jerga

3 weeks ago | theopennotebook.com | Katherine J. Wu

Read in EnglishEste artículo fue traducido por Debbie Ponchner y editado por Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. Regina G. Barber es, según todos los datos oficiales, una persona muy inteligente. Barber es una de las copresentadoras del podcast científico de NPR Short Wave, además de tener un doctorado en física —y, en una vida pasada, fue profesora de física y astronomía en la Universidad de Western Washington—.
Reporteando sobre informes: Cómo los periodistas dominan documentos de cientos de páginas

1 month ago | theopennotebook.com | Claudia Lopez Lloreda

Read in EnglishEste artículo fue traducido por Claudia López Lloreda y editado por Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. Cada cinco a siete años, el Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático (IPCC, por sus siglas en inglés) de las Naciones Unidas lleva a cabo una evaluación exhaustiva del estado del clima alrededor del mundo.
¿Qué es el prerreporteo, y realmente necesito hacerlo?

1 month ago | theopennotebook.com | Emma Gometz

Read in EnglishEste artículo fue traducido por Inés Gutiérrez Jaber y editado por Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. Cuando está haciendo investigación para un pitch, Lois Parshley, periodista freelance independiente, dice que tiene una regla de oro: nunca comprar un boleto de avión hasta que sea una asignación oficial. “Bastó con hacerlo una vez y que no funcionara”, para aprender esa lección, dice. Fue un error caro.
Roundtable: Reporting on Reports—How Journalists Harness Hundred-Page Documents - The Open Notebook

1 month ago | theopennotebook.com | Claudia Lopez Lloreda

Every five to seven years, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) conducts a comprehensive assessment of the state of the climate worldwide. The reports resulting from this assessment contain data and insights reflecting “years, if not decades, of work carried out by some of the brightest minds in the world,” says Martina Igini, the editor-in-chief of Earth.Org.
What Is Pre-Reporting—and Do You Really Need to Do It? - The Open Notebook

1 month ago | theopennotebook.com | Emma Gometz

Léelo en EspañolWhen doing research for a story pitch, Lois Parshley, an independent freelance journalist, says she has one cardinal rule: Never buy a plane ticket until it’s an official assignment. “All it took was doing that once and having it not work,” to learn that lesson, she says. It was an expensive mistake. But setting boundaries around pre-reporting—or developing a story before it’s been accepted for publication—presents “a complicated calculation” for any journalist, Parshley says.
Every Story Is a Science Story—That's Why We're Building a Resource to Help Journalists Integrate More Science into Their Coverage - The Open Notebook

2 months ago | theopennotebook.com | Rachel Zamzow

We’re excited to announce that The Open Notebook is partnering with the Reynolds Journalism Institute to build a resource that will help journalists integrate more science directly into their daily work. This training module and interactive toolkit will provide journalists with efficient and practical information, so even reporters on deadline can get what they need to deliver accurate, nuanced stories that incorporate scientific data, voices, and perspectives.
Construyendo puentes: cómo crear analogías para guiar a tus lectores

2 months ago | theopennotebook.com | Claudia Lopez Lloreda

Read in EnglishEste artículo fue traducido por Claudia López Lloreda y editado por Rodrigo Pérez Ortega. Crear una analogía es como montar un rompecabezas: tienes que lograr que todas las piezas encajen perfectamente antes de que puedas ver el cuadro completo. En realidad, no, escribir analogías es más como tejer un tapiz, hilando diferentes elementos juntos para hacer algo nuevo.
Building Bridges: Crafting Analogies to Help Guide Your Readers

2 months ago | theopennotebook.com | Claudia Lopez Lloreda

Léelo en EspañolCrafting an analogy is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle: You need to get things to fit together just right before you can see the big picture. Actually, no, writing analogies is more like weaving a tapestry, threading together different elements into a new whole. Wait—maybe making an analogy is really most like building a bridge, joining two distinct ideas that wouldn’t otherwise connect.
Key Questions for Journalists to Consider Before Using Generative AI

Feb 18, 2025 | theopennotebook.com | Emma Gometz

Léelo en EspañolSince ChatGPT debuted in late 2022, it and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools have increasingly crept into conversations about journalism. Unlike assistive AI—which journalists have long used to create interview transcripts or run spell-checks—generative AI can tackle tasks that previously only a human could do, in a fraction of the time.