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I have an idea for a series of science articles, but I don't have a strong background in the particular field.

What's a good way to identify experts who I could interview to shore up the details and make sure I get the facts straight? The local college might be a good start, but where do I go from there if I need more information?

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This would depend on the field, mostly, but you should be able to find references to the experts in that field through a standard Google search. I do think going to the local college is a good start as well, and chances are their library will have some good reference material.

For example, if you wanted to find out more about the top astronomers, you could reference the Astrophysical Journal for articles on the subject that you want to write about, note the authors, and contact them.

Hope this helps.

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Going off what Tom said, go to the journals. I'm currently working on an article about sleep and memory, and to get my interview sources, I just googled "sleep journal," went through a few studies in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, and searched for the authors' contact emails. Generally, the authors of studies are at least part-time professors, so finding their emails is rarely a challenge. Another way to go about it is to search for centers that research and/or treat the issue you're writing about--eg, I found the Berklee Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, and its website had a list of contacts.

Good luck with your piece!

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