Version Compatibility

Reference framework authored 2026-06 from a synthesis of public sources. No code dependencies. Update when:

• The AAAS issues a major revision to the Newsmakers framework
• Nature or Science publishes a new paper on press-release structure
• The target publication changes its word limit (default: 400 words)

If audience profile, publication, or framing needs differ from the defaults below, adjust the emphasis in the Inverted Pyramid but keep the single-take-home-message structure.

Press Release

A scientific press release is a 400-word document designed to translate a technical research finding into a news story for a general audience. Unlike a paper abstract, it is not read by specialists; it is read by journalists, policymakers, and the public, and its purpose is to generate coverage that accurately represents the research while making the implications understandable to a non-specialist.

The default failure mode is the jargon-dump press release that sounds like an abstract; the solution is the Inverted Pyramid structure, where the single-take-home message is in the first paragraph, not buried in the fifth. This skill encodes the structural discipline that ensures the press release serves two audiences: the journalist (who needs a story in 60 seconds) and the public (who needs the story in one sentence).

The Inverted Pyramid

The press release is not a narrative; it is a hierarchy of information arranged by importance, from the most important (the take-home message) to the least important (the funding disclosure). This is the Inverted Pyramid, the standard structure of news writing since the 19th century.

The pyramid is inverted because the most important information is at the top. The journalist may read only the first 60 words and have a story; the journalist may read 400 words and have a story with quotes and context. The public may read only the first sentence and have the take-home message. The structure serves both audiences.

The AAAS Newsmakers Framework

AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) developed the Newsmakers framework to evaluate press releases for newsworthiness. A press release passes the AAAS test if it answers four questions in 400 words.

A press release that fails the AAAS test fails because it does not answer the journalist's question "what's new and why should my audience care?" The framework ensures the press release is not an abstract but a story.

The One-Sentence Take-Home Message

The take-home message is not the topic; it is the edge of the contribution. It answers the question "what did the researchers find that changes what we thought we knew?" The message is a sentence, not a topic.

Bad: "Researchers studied mRNA methylation in glioblastoma." Good: "Researchers discovered that blocking an enzyme called METTL3 reverses resistance to the chemotherapy drug temozolomide in glioblastoma."

The message is specific, actionable, and about the result, not the method. It is the sentence that the public should remember if they read nothing else.

Translating Jargon to Plain Language

The press release must translate technical language without losing precision. Apply four rules.

The One-Term Rule

Each technical term must be defined once, using plain language. The term then appears without definition.

"Researchers mapped a chemical modification called m6A on RNA molecules — a process similar to adding a highlighter to important sentences in a book. They found that m6A levels..."

The one-term rule prevents the press release from becoming a jargon dictionary. The listener gets the metaphor; the writer then uses the technical term.

The Causality Rule

Technical language often describes correlation; plain language describes causation. Correlation is not newsworthy; causation is.

Technical: "We observed a correlation between METTL3 expression and temozolomide resistance." Plain: "When researchers blocked METTL3, the chemotherapy temozolomide became effective again."

The causality rule makes the result newsworthy: a therapy that could work, not just a correlation that exists.

The Relevance Hook

Every technical term must be connected to human relevance within 30 words. The relevance hook answers "why should my audience care?"

"METTL3 is a protein that modifies RNA, a process that cells use to control when and how genes are active. This is important because the same modification pattern is seen in other cancers, suggesting a broad therapeutic approach."

The relevance hook grounds the technical term in the listener's world: the same mechanism might apply to their disease.

The Quantification Rule

Numbers are anchors; they must be specific and meaningful.

Bad: "Many patients showed improvement." Good: "In the experiment, 8 out of 10 mice with glioblastoma tumors showed complete regression when treated with the METTL3 inhibitor plus temozolomide."

The quantification rule gives the journalist a number to feature in the headline: "90% of mice..." or "New drug combo stops brain cancer in 80% of cases."

The Gopen & Swan Stress-Position Principle Applied

Gopen & Swan's "Science of Scientific Writing" argues that the end of a sentence is the stress position for the reader. In a press release, where the reader is skimming, the stress position is even more important. Apply two rules.

The Verb-Pattern Rule

Put the subject and verb at the start of the sentence, followed by the new information.

Bad: "Resistance to the chemotherapy drug temozolomide is driven by METTL3-mediated m6A modification of MYC mRNA." Good: "METTL3 modifies MYC mRNA to drive resistance to the chemotherapy drug temozolomide."

The good version puts the actor (METTL3) first and the action (drives resistance) last, where the stress lands.

The End-of-Sentence Rule

Put the new information at the end of the sentence, not in the middle.

Bad: "Researchers using m6A-sequencing, a technique that maps chemical modifications on RNA, found that METTL3 is overexpressed in resistant tumors." Good: "Researchers found that METTL3, an enzyme that adds chemical marks to RNA, is overexpressed in resistant tumors."

The good version puts the new information (METTL3 is overexpressed) at the end of the sentence. The listener hears the setup (METTL3, an enzyme) and then the result (overexpressed) — the stress lands on the new information.

The Quote Discipline

A press release includes two quotes: one from the lead researcher and one from a non-author expert. The quotes are not placeholders; they are the soundbites that journalists will use.

The Researcher Quote

The researcher quote has three functions:

1. Explain the personal motivation. "I chose this problem because my aunt died of glioblastoma and had no options when she relapsed."
2. Confirm the result in plain words. "Our data shows that METTL3 inhibition reverses resistance. This means patients who currently have no hope might get a second chance."
3. Call to action. "We're now moving to clinical trials, and we need patients who are willing to test this combination."

The researcher quote is not a second version of the take-home message; it is the human story behind the science.

The Expert Quote

The expert quote is from a non-author, preferably a researcher not involved in the study but in the same field. It serves three functions:

1. Contextualize the finding. "This is the first time RNA modifications have been linked to temozolomide resistance. If confirmed in clinical trials, it could change how we treat glioblastoma."
2. Address limitations. "The study was in mice; human data is needed. But the mechanism is plausible and worth testing."
3. End on hope. "This is the kind of targeted approach we need for personalized cancer therapy."

The expert quote is not a second version of the result; it is the field's endorsement of the newsworthiness of the result.

The 400-Word Template

A press release of 400 words has the following structure. The word counts are guidelines; the structure is the discipline.

Headline and Sub-head Examples

Headline (too technical): "METTL3-mediated m6A modification of MYC mRNA contributes to temozolomide resistance in glioblastoma via a mechanism involving RNA epitranscriptomics."

Headline (news-relevant): "New drug combo reverses chemotherapy resistance in deadly brain cancer."

Sub-head (expansion): "By blocking an enzyme that modifies RNA, researchers restore effectiveness of first-line treatment in glioblastoma models."

The headline answers "what happened"; the sub-head answers "how it was done" or "why it matters." The sub-head is in italics under the headline.

A Worked Example: 400 Words

Headline: New drug combo reverses chemotherapy resistance in deadly brain cancer.

Sub-head: By blocking an enzyme that modifies RNA, researchers restore effectiveness of first-line treatment in glioblastoma models.

Lead paragraph: Researchers have discovered that blocking an enzyme called METTL3 can reverse resistance to the chemotherapy drug temozolomide in glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer that has no effective treatments after recurrence.

Context paragraph: Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, with a median survival of 15 months. Most patients respond to the standard chemotherapy temozolomide at first, but the cancer almost always comes back and becomes resistant. This resistance is the main reason patients die. The team at University Hospital studied whether a chemical modification on RNA — called m6A — could explain this resistance.

Detail paragraph: The researchers mapped m6A modifications in patient-derived tumors and found that METTL3, the enzyme that adds m6A, is overactive in resistant tumors. When they knocked down METTL3 in resistant cells, the cells became sensitive to temozolomide again. In mice bearing resistant tumors, a small-molecule METTL3 inhibitor combined with temozolomide caused tumors to shrink in 80% of cases. The team showed that METTL3 adds m6A to the mRNA of the oncogene MYC, making the cells resistant to chemotherapy.

Implication paragraph: If the same mechanism applies in humans, METTL3 inhibitors — which are already being tested in clinical trials for other diseases — could be rapidly repurposed as combination therapy for glioblastoma, potentially extending the lives of patients who currently have no options.

Funding: This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (R01NS123456) and the Brain Tumor Fund. For more information, contact Jane Doe at jane.doe@univ.edu.

Quotes: "This is the first time we've seen RNA modifications cause chemotherapy resistance," said Dr. Doe, the lead author. "It gives us a target that we can hit with existing drugs." Dr. Smith of another institution added, "If confirmed in patients, this could change the standard of care for glioblastoma."

Total word count: 400. The press release passes the AAAS test: it answers what happened (new combo reverses resistance), why it matters (deadly cancer), how they proved it (mice, patient samples), and so what (could save lives). The quotes are short, clear, and newsworthy.

Common Failure Modes

Distribution Checklist

References

• AAAS Communication Toolkit — press release worksheet, audience profiles.
• AAAS Newsmakers framework — newsworthiness criteria, Inverted Pyramid.
• Gopen & Swan, "The Science of Scientific Writing" — stress position, applied to press writing.
• NIH Plain Language guidelines — jargon discipline, quantification, active voice.
• Nature Editorial guidelines for press releases — structure, quotes, embargo practices.

Related Skills

• scientific-communication/conference-talk — long-form spoken version of the same story.
• scientific-communication/poster — visual version for conferences.
• scientific-communication/elevator-pitch — distilled version for conversation.
• scientific-communication/podcast — long-form spoken version for a general audience.