Science should be humanised for popularisation
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 06 2012: On the second day of the 4-day long training workshop on science writing/journalism for school and college teachers of Bishnupur district being held at Ningthoukhong's Ibudhou Oknarel temple complex, resource persons highlighted various techniques and art of science journalism writing on Tuesday.

Satyajit Usham, Editor of Hueiyen Lanpao (English Edition), who attended the workshop as one of the resource persons, said that science writing is different from news reporting and it's an art that calls for clarity, precision and human touch.

Moreover, the writer should have a thorough grasp over the subject matters they are going to write on.

During his lecture presentation on the topic, 'Writing for Newspapers & Role of Print Media in Science Popularisation', Satyajit illustrated the key points that a writer should bear in mind while preparing a piece of journalistic write-up on popularizing science and said that for popularization of science among masses, there is the need for humanizing science.

He said that a writer should be able to make distinction between technical and popular science writing and keep their targeted readers in mind while writing.

Moreover, the language should be understandable and technical jargons should be avoided as far as possible.

Explaining about the working nature of media houses in the state, Satyajit also stressed on the need for making science as media events.

In the interaction session which followed the lecture presentation, Satyajit encouraged the participants, who mainly comprise school and college science teachers, to cultivate the habit of expressing their thoughts through writings.

In the afternoon session, Dr C M Nautiyal, a Senior Grade Scientist in Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany, Lucknow conducted the technical session on identifying science topics and developing them into scripts for different medium and format.

The workshop is being organized by Manipur Science and Technology Council (MASTEC) in association with Centre for Conservation of Nature & Cultivation of Science, Ningthoukhong.

It is the 6th workshop in the series being organized at the district level for promoting science writers under the sponsorship of National Council for Science and Technology Communication, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Comment