By Tara Haelle
Few things are more frustrating, humbling or sometimes even confidence-shaking than embarking on a story heavy into research – then not feeling equipped to assess the methods and statistics.
Some reporters may even explicitly avoid reporting on research or may do a poor job when unexpectedly assigned a story because they feel their math skills are too weak. Others may be whizzes with numbers who love math but still come across studies that require knowledge or skills outside their wheelhouse.
First, if the very idea of calculating a percentage or comparing fractions raises your anxiety, you are not alone, and you are not dumb or uneducated. Many people make it through all their schooling and earn advanced degrees without having as strong a foundation in math as they want or should have received. With all that researchers have learned about brain plasticity (science!), we now know it’s not too late to learn.
It is not necessary to have a degree in math or statistics to be an expert reporter on scientific research. But it is necessary to have some basic math skills to make or check calculations (especially percentages), and know enough to figure out the best questions to ask study authors and outside sources. This tip sheet from Journalists’ Resource, can help reporters address any gaps in their math education.
The first resource they mention is one of the best – and least known, it seems. Journalists can reach out to the mathematician and six statisticians at STATS.org who are available as one-on-one resources for reporters writing about scientific research.
Other resources include courses journalists can take from the Poynter Institute, websites focusing on different types of math skills and online calculators, converters and index tools (again, see the Journalists’ Resource site.) Some require a bit of time investment but are worth it to avoid the anxiety that may accompany certain assignments.
Math is one of the only subjects that can carry this dark cloud of “I-can’t-do-it-ism” for many people, often due to regrettable school experiences. However, it’s no more mysterious or impenetrable than any other subject area if you’re willing to invest the time to strengthen your skills. Even if you’re utterly convinced that your brain is not hard-wired for understanding numbers and equations, check out these resources and schedule some time to spend exploring them in-depth.
