Last time, you learned how to find science stories and write about them responsibly.
You know where to look. You know how to pick a strong angle. You know the ethics rules.
Now here's the next problem. You've got your story. You've got your facts. You're ready to write.
But where do you even start?
Imagine your classmate Esmeraldo just finished a science experiment. He runs up to you and starts talking:
"And then the plant grew faster — oh wait, I forgot to tell you what kind of plant it was — actually first you need to know about the soil — and there were three groups — but the results were surprising — I think it was the sunlight — anyway it started two weeks ago—"You'd be lost by the second sentence. That's what a disorganized article feels like to a reader.
Good science writing doesn't just have accurate facts. It presents those facts in the right order — so readers understand everything without getting confused. That's exactly what this chapter is about.
Before you organize anything, you need to know your most important information. Not all facts are equal. Some facts are the heart of your story. Others are just extra details. You need both — but major information always comes first.
The discovery, the result, the change, or the problem. This is what your whole story is built around.
"She won first place at the National Science Fair in Manila."
Background details and extra context. These support the story — but they're not the main point.
"She likes to read science books in her spare time."
Once you know your most important fact, line up the rest. Ask yourself: What does my reader need to know right after the most important fact? Then: What comes after that? Keep going until you've ordered everything from most important to least important. That's how you build an organized article.
Every science article has four basic parts. Each part has a job. Remove one and the whole thing falls apart.
The most common structure in news writing — including science writing — is called the inverted pyramid. An inverted pyramid is a triangle flipped upside down. Wide at the top, narrow at the bottom. In writing, that means your most important information goes first and the least important goes last.
Most important fact. First sentence. Done. Then the middle paragraphs add the details: how the study was done, who the researchers are, how long it took, what it means for the community. Background information — like a brief history of the research — goes at the end. Why? Because if an editor needs to cut your article short, they cut from the bottom. The least important stuff goes last so nothing critical gets removed.
The inverted pyramid isn't the only option. For some science stories, the hourglass structure works better. An hourglass is wide at the top, narrow in the middle, then wide again at the bottom. In writing, that means you start with the most important facts — then shift to tell the human side of the story.
Start with the most important facts, just like the inverted pyramid. Then shift. Tell the story of a person, a place, or an event connected to the science. This is where the human element comes in.
Now the science feels personal. Readers connect with Matet. They want to know what happens next. Close the hourglass with a quote, a final detail, or a sentence that gives the whole story meaning.
The third structure is the narrative structure — and it feels the most like a story. It has a beginning, a middle, and an ending — just like the stories you read in class. This works best for science features: longer, more personal stories that go deeper into a topic.
Start with a scene, a person, or a moment that grabs the reader right away.
"Hanna didn't expect to find anything unusual. She was just checking the water sample from the river behind her school. Then she saw it."
Explain what happened, what was discovered, and why it matters. This is where the science goes.
Close the narrative in a way that feels complete and meaningful. The ending shouldn't just stop — it should leave the reader with something to think about.
So how do you know which structure to use? Here's the simple guide.
| Story Type | Best Structure | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Breaking science news (disease outbreak, volcanic eruption) | 🔺 Inverted Pyramid | Readers need the most important facts immediately. No slow build-up. |
| New research or discovery with a community impact | ⏳ Hourglass | Start with the discovery, then bring in a human story to make it meaningful. |
| Longer science feature about a person or ongoing issue | 📖 Narrative | You have more space. Use it to tell a story, not just report facts. |
The key rule is this: match the structure to the story — not the other way around.
Apply what you learned. Work through the activities below step by step.
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| I chose a scenario and named the structure | ☐ | ☐ |
| My headline is short and clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| My lead has the most important fact | ☐ | ☐ |
| My body paragraphs are in a logical order | ☐ | ☐ |
| My ending closes the story — not just stops it | ☐ | ☐ |
Answers will be different for each student. Use the rubric above or ask your teacher for help.
Each item is a piece of a science article. Sort it into the correct part — Headline, Lead, Body, or Ending.