Last time, you learned how to present scientific information clearly. No jargon without a definition. No statistics without context. No claims without a named source.
Nine chapters. Nine skills.
And now it's time to use all of them at once.
This chapter is different from the others. There's less new material to learn. Instead, you're going to do what real science journalists do — read a prompt, plan your article, and write the whole thing from start to finish.
Think of it as your practice run before the real game.
In journalism competitions like the NSPC — the National Schools Press Conference — science and technology writers are given a prompt: a set of information — facts, quotes, data, and details — that you use to write your article. You don't do interviews. You don't go out and research. Everything you need is already inside the prompt. Your job is to turn that raw information into a clear, organized, well-written science article.
That sounds simple. It isn't. But you're ready for it.
Now let's walk through each part — one at a time. Every complete science article has all four of these, in this order.
You've written your article. Don't submit it yet. Read it once more and check these three things. If you can check every box — your article is ready.
Two activities — first analyze the prompt like a reporter, then write your complete article.
Researchers from the Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) announced last Tuesday that a common weed found in Central Luzon rice fields — locally known as "kangkong-talahib" — has been found to absorb lead and arsenic from contaminated soil. Lead and arsenic are heavy metals that enter soil from pesticides and industrial runoff. Exposure to these metals causes serious health problems in humans, including damage to the nervous system and kidneys.
The study, which took three years to complete, tested the plant in 12 contaminated rice fields across Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. In fields where the plant was grown alongside rice, soil contamination levels dropped by an average of 61 percent within two growing seasons.
TAU researchers plan to present the findings to the Department of Agriculture next month. They recommend that farmers in affected areas begin growing the plant alongside their crops immediately.
A weed that grows wild in Central Luzon rice fields may be one of the cheapest and fastest solutions yet to soil contamination, according to a three-year study released last Tuesday by researchers at Tarlac Agricultural University.
The finding matters for millions of Filipino farmers whose soil has been damaged by years of pesticide use and industrial runoff. Lead and arsenic — two heavy metals that enter soil through these sources — cause serious health problems in humans, including kidney damage and harm to the nervous system. A low-cost, locally available solution could change farming conditions across the region.
The study tested the plant — locally known as "kangkong-talahib" — in 12 contaminated rice fields across Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. Researchers measured soil contamination levels before and after the plant was grown alongside regular rice crops over two growing seasons.
Fields where the weed was planted saw soil contamination drop by an average of 61 percent within just two growing seasons. TAU researchers say most conventional soil cleaning methods take years longer and cost significantly more — making the weed a potentially major breakthrough for small-scale farmers with limited resources.
"We were surprised by how fast the plant worked," said Dr. Edel Santos, the study's lead researcher. "Most soil remediation methods take years and cost millions. This weed does the same job for almost nothing."
Farmer James Ramos, who joined the study, said the results were already visible on his land. "Our vegetables weren't growing right. Now the soil is cleaner and our harvest is back to normal," he said.
TAU researchers are set to present the findings to the Department of Agriculture next month. In the meantime, they are urging farmers in affected areas across Central Luzon to begin growing the plant alongside their crops as soon as possible.
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| My headline is clear, accurate, and unbiased | ☐ | ☐ |
| My lead has the most important fact and hooks the reader | ☐ | ☐ |
| My nut graf explains why the story matters to real people | ☐ | ☐ |
| My body paragraphs have specific evidence with named sources | ☐ | ☐ |
| I included at least one quote with proper attribution | ☐ | ☐ |
| My kicker closes the story — no summary, no "in conclusion" | ☐ | ☐ |
| All my facts came from the prompt — nothing invented | ☐ | ☐ |
Answers will be different for each student. Use the rubric above or ask your teacher for help.
True or False — eight statements covering the full course. This is everything.