A Science Communicator's Tool Kit
Format
Word Count
Purpose
Examples
Explainer
600–1,000 words
Clarify complex idea or concept for lay audience
Feature
1,200–2,000 words
Current topics, Narrative + in-depth coverage
Op-ed
600–800 words
Current relevant topic; Argument or stance, persuasive tone
News article
300–600 words
Recent discovery, breaking/ time sensitive topics, inverted pyramid style
Blog post
400–800 words
Conversational, informal, personal take or story
People profiles
800–1,200 words
About a scientist and their work
Social media posts/ scripts
50–300 words
Concise, short, focussed, short blurbs and bite-sized info per slide/panel/ post.
X (formerly Twitter): Regular tweet – 280 characters.
Instagram caption: 2200 characters.
LinkedIn post: 3000 characters
Infographics
200-300 words
Keep it simple, no jargon.
Divide into subheads, think visually and include bite-sized info.
Catchy blurbs and facts. Numbers can help convey the story.
Podcast/ video script
5–7 min (600–900 words)
Simplified language, good flow, short sentences, small blurbs per line.