Chapter 4: Researching and Gathering Scientific Information — CampusJourn
Chapter 4

Researching and Gathering
Scientific Information

A great outline still needs real facts inside it. Learn how to ask the right questions, gather information the right way, and check whether your sources can actually be trusted.

🎯 Chapter Objective: By the end of this chapter, you will be able to gather information for a science article using the 5Ws and H, interviews, documents, and data — and check if your sources are reliable.
📖 Introduction

Where Do You Get Your Facts?

Last time, you learned how to organize a science article.

You know the four parts. You know the three structures. You can build a skeleton before you write a single sentence.

But here's the thing.

A skeleton with no facts inside it is just an empty outline.

You need real information. Accurate information. Information you can actually trust.

So where do you get it? That's what this chapter is all about.

🔎
Research is not guessing. It doesn't mean typing a question into a search engine and copying the first result. Research means finding real facts from real sources — and checking that those sources can actually be trusted.
❓ Section 4.1

Understanding the 5Ws and H

Every science story starts with six questions. These are the building blocks of all journalism — not just science writing. You might already know them. But let's make sure you really know how to use them.

Question 1
👤 Who
Asks about the people involved. Who made the discovery? Who does it affect? Who is the expert you should talk to? Often a researcher, scientist, doctor, or affected community member.
"Who: Dr. Lim, a marine biologist from UP Visayas, and the fishing communities of Palawan."
Question 2
🔬 What
Asks about the event, discovery, or finding at the center of your story. What happened? What was found? What changed? The answer to: "So what's the story?"
"What: A new species of sea turtle was found nesting along the coast of Palawan."
Question 3
📅 When
Asks about the timing. When did it happen? When was the study published? Timing matters — a discovery from last week feels more urgent than one from five years ago.
"When: The discovery was confirmed last Tuesday by researchers."
📍 Where
Question 4
Asks about the location. Where did the discovery happen? Where does the issue exist? Proximity — things happening nearby — makes a story more relevant to your readers.
"Where: The nesting site is located along the shoreline of Barangay Marangoy in Palawan."
Question 5
💭 Why
Asks about the reason or significance. Why does this matter? Why should your reader care? Often the most important question — it connects the discovery to real life.
"Why: The finding is significant because sea turtles are endangered, and this nesting site could be the largest discovered in the Philippines in a decade."
Question 6
⚙️ How
Asks about the process. How was it discovered? How does it work? "How" explains the science behind the story — what makes science writing different from regular news.
"How: Researchers used underwater cameras and satellite tracking to monitor the turtles over six months."
✅
Answer all six questions before you write. If you can't answer all of them yet — that's your research checklist. Go find the missing answers first.
🗂️ Section 4.2

Gathering Information

Now you know what questions to ask. The next step is figuring out how to get the answers. There are three main ways to gather information for a science article.

Method 1
🎙️ Interviews
A conversation where you ask questions to get information directly from a source. Interview experts — scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers — and people affected by the issue, like community members, students, or farmers. Both voices matter.
✅ "How did you discover that the plant could filter water?" ❌ "Is the plant useful?" — only gets a yes or no.
Method 2
📄 Documents and Reports
Written materials that contain facts, data, or official statements — government reports, school records, studies, press releases. In the Philippines: DOST, PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, DOH, and DepEd. Always check when a document was published — outdated data can mislead readers.
A DOH report on dengue cases gives verified numbers and an official position you can cite.
Method 3
👀 Observations
Facts you gather yourself by watching and recording what you see. Visit a Science Fair, a flooded community, or a school experiment. What you see with your own eyes — described accurately — is firsthand information. It makes writing more vivid and believable.
Watching the compost pile being mixed each week and describing exactly what you saw.
1
Prepare your questions before you start.
2
Ask open-ended questions — ones that can't be answered with just "yes" or "no."
3
Listen carefully and take notes.
4
Always ask: "Is there anything else I should know?"
📊 Section 4.3

Using Data and Statistics

Science articles often include numbers — percentages, study results, survey figures. That's what makes them credible. But numbers can be tricky.

Finding Important Numbers

Not every number in a study belongs in your article. Look for numbers that directly support your main point. Your story is about dengue cases rising in your province:

✅
Useful Number

"Dengue cases in Tarlac Province rose by 45 percent from January to April 2026, according to the DOH."

⚠️
Less Useful Number

"The study involved 847 participants from 12 municipalities across three provinces." — a methods detail; it belongs deep in the body, not near the top.

Understanding Data

Before you use a number, make sure you understand what it actually means. A 45 percent increase sounds alarming. But 45 percent of what? Of 20 cases? Of 2,000? Context matters. Always ask: What does this number actually mean for real people?

Avoiding Misleading Information

Never use numbers to exaggerate your story. If the data says cases "increased," don't write "skyrocketed" unless the data actually shows that. If the data shows a small improvement, don't write "dramatic recovery." Your job is to represent the numbers honestly — not to make the story sound more exciting than it is.

🛡️ Section 4.4

Checking Source Reliability

Here's one of the most important skills in science writing. Not every source is trustworthy. Anyone can post anything online — that doesn't make it true. Before you use information in your article, you need to check where it came from.

📌 Key Term
A trusted source is an organization or institution known for accurate, fact-checked information.

Trusted Sources in the Philippines

PAGASAWeather and climate data
PHIVOLCSVolcanic and earthquake information
DOHHealth and disease data
DOSTScience and technology research
State UniversitiesAcademic research
DepEdEducation data

These organizations have professional researchers and review processes. Their information has been checked.

Expert Sources

Expert sources are people with specific knowledge and training in their field. A doctor talking about disease is an expert source. A scientist explaining their own research is an expert source. Your classmate's opinion about vaccines is not an expert source — even if they sound confident. There's a big difference between someone who studied something for years and someone who read about it once. Use experts whenever you can.

Verifying Information

Verifying means checking if information is true by looking at more than one source. If one source says something surprising, look for a second source that confirms it. If you can only find the information in one place — and it sounds hard to believe — be careful. It might not be accurate. Good science writers always verify before they publish.

📝 Section 4.5

Let's Check Two Examples

Here are two student science writers gathering information. One did it right. One didn't. Let's see why.

❌ Bad Research
Michael is writing about air pollution in his city. He finds a Facebook post that says "Air pollution in Tarlac City is the worst in Asia." He uses it in his article.
  • Source reliable? NO — an anonymous Facebook post with no data is not a trusted source.
  • Verified? NO — he only found it in one place.
  • What to do instead: Check DENR or PAGASA reports for actual air quality data.
✅ Solid Research
Edel is writing about water quality in her barangay. She interviews the barangay health officer, reads the latest water quality report from the local water district, and observes the water collection area herself.
  • Sources reliable? YES — an official, a document, and her own observation.
  • Verified? YES — three different sources point to the same information.
  • Three sources. Two types of information. One observation. That's solid research.
Good Research — Quick Recap
❓ Ask the 5Ws and H + 🎙️ Gather: interviews, documents, observations + 📊 Use data honestly + 🛡️ Verify with trusted sources
= Research worth writing about.

✏️ Practice Time

Apply what you learned. Work through the activities below step by step.

1

Reliable or Not? Read each source and decide: is it RELIABLE or NOT RELIABLE for a science article?

📋 For each source below, click Reveal Analysis to see whether it's a reliable source — and find out why.
Sources revealed:
Source 1
A 2025 report from the Philippine Department of Health showing the number of dengue cases per region.
Source 2
A comment on YouTube from a user named "HealthGuru2020" saying that a certain herbal tea cures diabetes.
Source 3
An interview with a licensed agricultural scientist from the Bureau of Plant Industry explaining how a new pest-resistant rice variety was developed.
Source 4
A blog post with no author name that claims a new study proves screen time causes blindness in children.
Source 5
A published study from a Philippine state university showing the nutritional content of five local vegetables.
2

Creating an Article Planning Sheet Choose a science or technology topic from your school or community. Fill in the 5Ws and H, and identify your sources before you write.

📝 Use the format below for your own topic. Answer all six questions, list your sources, then write your most important fact in one sentence.

📎 Sample Answer (to guide you)

✅ Sample
Topic:The school garden project that Grade 4 students started to reduce food waste.
Who:Grade 4 students and their Science teacher, Mrs. Cruz.
What:Students are turning food scraps into compost to fertilize their school garden.
When:The project started three weeks ago and will run until the end of the school year.
Where:Mabini Elementary School, Tarlac City.
Why:It teaches students about sustainability and reduces the school's garbage output.
How:Students collect vegetable peels and leftover food, add dry leaves, and mix the pile weekly to create natural fertilizer.
Sources:Interview with Mrs. Cruz; observation of the compost area; DepEd materials on school gardening programs.
Most Important Fact:Grade 4 students at Mabini Elementary are turning food waste into fertilizer — and their school garden is already showing results.
📌 My Article Planning Sheet

🔍 Self-Check Guide

What to Check Done ✅ Try Again 🔄
I answered all six 5Ws and H questions ☐ ☐
I listed at least two or three different sources ☐ ☐
My sources are reliable — not anonymous or unverified ☐ ☐
I wrote my most important fact in one clear sentence ☐ ☐

📊 Simple Rubric

✅✅✅
All sections complete and sources are reliable — you're ready to write. Seriously.
✅✅
Most sections complete, one or two sources weak — double-check your sources and fill in the gaps.
✏️
Several sections incomplete — go back to Section 4.2 and think about each gathering method.

Answers for writing activities will be different for each student. Use the rubric above or ask your teacher for help.

🧠 Fix the Mistake

Each sentence has a research or sourcing mistake. Pick the option that fixes it correctly.

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Up Next

Chapter 5: Writing the Science News Lead

Your article planning sheet is ready. Your facts are solid. Now learn how to write the most important sentence in your entire article: the lead.

Chapter 5 →
← Chapter 3
Chapter 5 →