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Writing in the Sciences

This course teaches scientists to become more effective writers, using practical examples and exercises. Topics include: principles of good writing, tricks for writing faster and with less anxiety, the format of a scientific manuscript, peer review, grant writing, ethical issues in scientific publication, and writing for general audiences.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Unit 1 introduces the course and reviews key principles of effective writing. In particular, you will practice cutting clutter from writing.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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Helps scientists write more effectively using practical examples and exercises

Covers principles of good writing, writing faster with less anxiety, and grant writing

Taught by Dr. Kristin Sainani, an expert in scientific writing

Provides tips for avoiding plagiarism, determining authorship, and submitting a paper

Reviews writing for general audiences, including working with the media and conducting interviews

Advisable to have some background in scientific writing

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Reviews summary

Practical writing for scientists

According to learners, this course is highly effective in teaching scientists how to improve their writing skills. Students particularly appreciate the practical advice and techniques provided for writing scientific manuscripts, grants, and navigating peer review. The instructor is frequently mentioned as engaging and clear. While some found the initial units basic, the course builds towards invaluable strategies directly applicable to scientific communication. Overall, it is considered a valuable investment for scientists looking to write more effectively.

Applying concepts needs effort outside course.

"You really have to actively practice the techniques learned on your own writing projects to see significant improvement."

"The course provides excellent theory and examples, but consistent application on your part is key to success."

"Simply watching the lectures isn't enough; expect to put in the work applying the principles to your own drafts."

Professor provides clear and motivating instruction.

"The instructor was fantastic, very clear and motivating throughout the course."

"Professor Plotkin's lectures were easy to follow and understand, making complex ideas accessible."

"He made the potentially intimidating task of writing feel much less daunting and more manageable."

Covers manuscripts, grants, and peer review specifics.

"The units specifically focusing on manuscript structure and grant writing were invaluable for my career."

"Understanding the peer review process from the perspective taught here was very enlightening and useful."

"The section on writing methods and results was particularly practical for drafting scientific papers."

Provides concrete techniques for scientists.

"I learned many practical tips I can use immediately in my papers and reports."

"The advice on cutting clutter and improving clarity was incredibly helpful for my academic writing."

"This course gave me practical tools to write more effectively and efficiently for scientific publications."

May feel basic for experienced writers.

"Some of the initial units felt a bit slow, covering what seemed like very basic grammar and sentence structure."

"If you already have a solid writing background, you might find parts of this course are more of a review."

"While thorough, the course occasionally felt a bit repetitive in reinforcing certain basic principles."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing in the Sciences with these activities:

Explore Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) Resources

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Utilize Purdue OWL's comprehensive writing resources to enhance writing skills and address specific writing challenges.

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Visit the OWL website and browse the available resources.
Select a topic or writing style that needs improvement.
Review the relevant resources and complete any interactive exercises.

Review Grammar Rules

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Strong writing involves strong grammatical knowledge which serves as the foundation for writing. This is essential for building a strong foundation and ensuring that you can write with precision and clarity in scientific work.

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Enroll in a free grammar course on Coursera or edX
Review grammar chapters in your own time
Complete practice exercises or quizzes

Read Scientific Writing: A Guide to Effective Communication

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Review the fundamental principles of scientific writing covered in this book to build a strong foundation for course activities.

View How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper on Amazon

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Read the introduction and the first chapter on 'Principles of Scientific Writing.'
Summarize the key points of each section and identify examples relevant to the course.

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Practice Using the Scientific Method

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This course assumes familiarity with foundational scientific concepts. By practicing scientific method skills you will strengthen your foundational knowledge of the Scientific Method before starting the course.

Browse courses on Scientific Method

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Review your notes from introductory science courses
Read articles about famous scientific experiments
Design your own experiment to test a hypothesis

Compile Course Materials

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Compile and organize digital and analog materials from the course. This will include gathering lecture notes, exercise answers, practice tests and assignments. This will keep your study materials in one location and improve your efficiency.

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Gather digital or handwritten lecture notes
Organize lecture materials by date covered
Upload any recent or older practice tests and assignments
File handouts and any additional materials

Attend a Writing Workshop with Peers

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Engage with peers in a collaborative writing environment to enhance writing skills and provide support.

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Attend a writing workshop.
Participate in writing exercises and discussions.
Share work with peers for feedback.

Practice Writing Abstracts

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Writing clear and concise abstracts is an essential skill for scientists. Complete the exercises and this will prepare you to write more effective and compelling abstracts in the course and beyond.

Browse courses on Scientific Writing

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Review the structure and components of an abstract
Find practice exercises
Write multiple abstracts for the same article

Write a Scientific Abstract

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Create a scientific abstract to practice writing a brief and informative summary of a research project.

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Identify a research topic of interest.
Write a concise statement of the research question.
Summarize the methods used to conduct the research.
Describe the key findings of the research.
Conclude with a statement of the significance of the research.

Peer Review

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Engage in peer review to develop critical analysis and writing skills.

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Exchange written work with a peer.
Provide constructive criticism and feedback on the content, organization, and clarity.
Revise the writing based on the peer feedback.

Practice Writing Clear and Concise Sentences

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Engage in sentence-writing exercises to improve clarity, conciseness, and flow of writing.

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Identify sentences that need improvement in a piece of scientific writing.
Rewrite the sentences to make them more concise and clear.
Share the rewritten sentences with peers or instructors for feedback.

Summarize Course Materials in Your Own Words

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Summarizing course materials requires active engagement and reformulation, which will aid in strengthening your understanding of key concepts from each module.

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Read through notes and identify key concepts
Summarize key concepts in a short paragraph
Type up the paragraph summaries

Create a Scientific Poster Presentation

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Design a scientific poster to effectively communicate research findings in a concise and visually appealing format.

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Summarize the main research question and findings.
Create visually appealing graphs and charts to present the data.
Write a clear and concise abstract.
Design the poster layout using appropriate fonts and colors.

Write a Literature Review on a New Topic

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Scientific writing is a key skill in this course. To improve your scientific writing, this activity will require you to identify a recent research article from a scientific journal and provide a literature review summary.

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Choose a recent research article published in the last 5 years
Identify the key points of the article
Write a summary of the article in your own words

Write a Scientific Manuscript on a Chosen Topic

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Undertake a comprehensive writing project to apply the principles of scientific writing and research.

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Select a topic of interest and conduct thorough research.
Develop a research question and hypothesis.
Design and conduct experiments or collect data.
Analyze the data and draw conclusions.
Write a scientific manuscript following the IMRAD structure.

Career center

Learners who complete Writing in the Sciences will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Science Writer

A Science Writer creates written content about scientific topics for a variety of audiences, including the general public, scientists, and policymakers. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Writer

Science Communicator

A Science Communicator translates complex scientific information into language that is accessible to the general public. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science for general audiences. The course teaches how to effectively communicate complex scientific information in a clear and concise way.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Communicator

Professor

A Professor teaches and conducts research at a college or university. This course may be useful for those interested in teaching or writing about science. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor

Grant Writer

A Grant Writer writes proposals to secure funding for research projects. This course may be useful for those interested in writing grant proposals. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Research Scientist

A Research Scientist conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in a particular field. This course may be useful for those interested in writing scientific manuscripts. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist

Science Policy Analyst

A Science Policy Analyst researches and analyzes scientific issues to inform policy decisions. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science for general audiences. The course teaches how to effectively communicate complex scientific information in a clear and concise way.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Policy Analyst

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates written content about technical topics, such as software, hardware, and engineering. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science for general audiences. The course teaches how to effectively communicate technical information in a clear and concise way.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Healthcare Writer

A Healthcare Writer creates written content about healthcare topics for a variety of audiences, including patients, healthcare professionals, and the general public. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Writer

Medical Writer

A Medical Writer creates written content about medical topics for a variety of audiences, including patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science for general audiences. The course teaches how to effectively communicate complex scientific information in a clear and concise way.

See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Writer

Speechwriter

A Speechwriter writes speeches for public figures, such as politicians, business leaders, and celebrities. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Speechwriter

Science Editor

A Science Editor oversees the production of scientific content, such as articles, books, and websites. This course may be useful for those interested in editing scientific documents. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Editor

Science Librarian

A Science Librarian helps researchers find and access scientific information. This course may be useful for those interested in working in a library setting. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Librarian

Patent Attorney

A Patent Attorney helps inventors obtain patents for their inventions. This course may be useful for those interested in writing about science. The course provides a strong foundation in the principles of good writing and the format of a scientific manuscript.

See salaries and explore the career path for Patent Attorney

Science Journalist

A Science Journalist writes news and analysis about scientific discoveries and developments. This course may be useful, especially for those interested in writing for general audiences. The course teaches how to effectively communicate science to non-specialists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Journalist

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Writing in the Sciences.

Scientific Writing

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This comprehensive guide to scientific writing covers everything from the basics of grammar to the art of storytelling.

Writing in the Sciences

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Practical writing for scientists

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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