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Dr. Kristin Sainani
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.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/4ahejl/writing
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What's inside
Syllabus
1
Unit 1 introduces the course and reviews key principles of effective writing. In particular, you will practice cutting clutter from writing.
Read more
Syllabus
1
Unit 1 introduces the course and reviews key principles of effective writing. In particular, you will practice cutting clutter from writing.
Read more
2
Unit 2 focuses on writing with strong, active verbs. Lessons include how to: write in the active voice; avoid turning verbs into nouns; choose strong verbs; and get to the main verb of a sentence quickly.
3
Unit 3 reviews how to vary sentence structure and write strong paragraphs. You will practice using the dash, colon, semi-colon, and parentheses, as well as writing well-organized and concise paragraphs.
4
Unit 4 reviews the writing process. I will give you tips for making the writing process easier, more efficient, and more organized.
5
Unit 5 reviews the sections of a scientific manuscript. You will learn how to format tables and figures, and how to write results, methods, introduction, and discussion sections.
6
Unit 6 discusses the peer review process, as well as ethical issues in scientific publishing. You will learn how to avoid plagiarism, determine authorship, submit a paper, write a peer review, and avoid predatory journals.
7
Unit 7 reviews types of writing beyond original research manuscripts. You will learn how to write review papers, grants, letters of recommendation, and personal essays.
8
Unit 8 reviews communication with broader audiences. You will learn how work with the media, be interviewed, conduct an interview, and write about science for general audiences.
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
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
Save this course
Save Writing in the Sciences to your list so you can find it easily later:
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Reviews summary
Writing in the sciences
Learners say this course, "Writing in the Sciences," offered by Stanford University and Coursera, is highly effective in teaching scientific writing skills. The professor, Dr. Kristin Sainani, is engaging, knowledgeable, and an excellent teacher. Students appreciate the real-world examples, exercises, and hands-on editing practice. The course covers a wide range of topics, including grammar, punctuation, structure, and style. Students also learn how to write different types of scientific documents, such as journal articles, grant proposals, and personal statements. Overall, learners say this course is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to improve their scientific writing skills.
Simplified approach to scientific writing.
"This is excellent course! Dr Kristiani Sainani presents in a very pleasant and engaging manner.25 years in the medical field and I learned much to benefit from this course."
"It was a pleasure! A great course I can only recommend. Very well chosen real-live-examples taken from current research literature.
I was able to deepen my grammar knowledge in English as well as gain experience with writing styles."
Professor Kristin Sainani has done wonderful job.
"Thank you Coursera!
I found this course absolutely enjoyable! The curriculum was rich too, and the tutor witty and knowledgeable. I don't often respond to call for reviews online but this was just exceptional. I started the course and followed through till the end, steadily exceeding my daily goals. I learnt about good writing, academic writing, and even social media! It was really an interesting one."
Writing tasks and peer reviews strengthened the knowledge.
"One thing I found lacking was that it only medicine related. the examples, the journals, the guests, etc. Other areas of science would be better to see in what they are common, and in what they differ."
"I thought I was a good writer.... now I realize that I have many opportunities to improve. I have recommended this course to colleagues and am incredibly appreciative that it is FREE! The instructor is fabulous and funny and uses varied examples and an array of stories. I have 2 MS degrees but am now pursuing a doctorate and will be better prepared to succeed because of this course- which was humbling and insightful. Thank you!"
Foundation to write science well.
"This course gave me a lot of wonderful thing. Because I am not a native english, this course is not easy for me but the biology material was really useful to see how each writer express their ideas, write about different subjects, what you need to avoid when you write an article or a reseach report."
"I had some experience in writing scientific manuscripts, and still, I gained a lot of new practical knowledge about writing. It also inspired me to write more, and hopefully, I will be able to pass this to my students in Brazil.Highly recommend it! "
learners say more confident .. esp. passive voice, clustering, tense) haha.
"Thank you so much Dr.Kristin
Sainani for this excellent course. A course covering all the topics step
by step. I have started this course as a free course, as I don't know the course
would be completed by me or not. But I completed the course & took the
certificate only because of your pretty way of teaching. Now I want to start my
career in medical writing. Thanks to Coursera also for providing this course."
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
Show steps
Utilize Purdue OWL's comprehensive writing resources to enhance writing skills and address specific writing challenges.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
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.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
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
Show steps
-
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.
11 other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all 14 activities
Practice Using the Scientific Method
Show steps
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
Show steps
-
Review your notes from introductory science courses
-
Read articles about famous scientific experiments
-
Design your own experiment to test a hypothesis
Compile Course Materials
Show steps
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.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
Engage with peers in a collaborative writing environment to enhance writing skills and provide support.
Show steps
-
Attend a writing workshop.
-
Participate in writing exercises and discussions.
-
Share work with peers for feedback.
Practice Writing Abstracts
Show steps
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
Show steps
-
Review the structure and components of an abstract
-
Find practice exercises
-
Write multiple abstracts for the same article
Write a Scientific Abstract
Show steps
Create a scientific abstract to practice writing a brief and informative summary of a research project.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
Engage in peer review to develop critical analysis and writing skills.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
Engage in sentence-writing exercises to improve clarity, conciseness, and flow of writing.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
Summarizing course materials requires active engagement and reformulation, which will aid in strengthening your understanding of key concepts from each module.
Show steps
-
Read through notes and identify key concepts
-
Summarize key concepts in a short paragraph
-
Type up the paragraph summaries
Create a Scientific Poster Presentation
Show steps
Design a scientific poster to effectively communicate research findings in a concise and visually appealing format.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
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.
Show steps
-
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
Show steps
Undertake a comprehensive writing project to apply the principles of scientific writing and research.
Show steps
-
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.
Explore Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) Resources
Show steps
Utilize Purdue OWL's comprehensive writing resources to enhance writing skills and address specific writing challenges.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
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.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
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
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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.
11 other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all 14 activities
Practice Using the Scientific Method
Show steps
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
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Review your notes from introductory science courses
- Read articles about famous scientific experiments
- Design your own experiment to test a hypothesis
Compile Course Materials
Show steps
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.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
Engage with peers in a collaborative writing environment to enhance writing skills and provide support.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Attend a writing workshop.
- Participate in writing exercises and discussions.
- Share work with peers for feedback.
Practice Writing Abstracts
Show steps
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
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Review the structure and components of an abstract
- Find practice exercises
- Write multiple abstracts for the same article
Write a Scientific Abstract
Show steps
Create a scientific abstract to practice writing a brief and informative summary of a research project.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
Engage in peer review to develop critical analysis and writing skills.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
Engage in sentence-writing exercises to improve clarity, conciseness, and flow of writing.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
Summarizing course materials requires active engagement and reformulation, which will aid in strengthening your understanding of key concepts from each module.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read through notes and identify key concepts
- Summarize key concepts in a short paragraph
- Type up the paragraph summaries
Create a Scientific Poster Presentation
Show steps
Design a scientific poster to effectively communicate research findings in a concise and visually appealing format.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
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.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
Show steps
Undertake a comprehensive writing project to apply the principles of scientific writing and research.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- 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
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.
Science Communicator
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.
Professor
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.
Grant Writer
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.
Research Scientist
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.
Medical 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.
Science Policy Analyst
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.
Healthcare 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.
Technical Writer
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.
Science Editor
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.
Patent Attorney
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.
Speechwriter
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.
Science Librarian
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.
Science Journalist
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.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/4ahejl/writing
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.
Save
This comprehensive guide to scientific writing covers everything from the basics of grammar to the art of storytelling.
Save
Provides practical advice on writing papers in the humanities.
Provides practical advice on writing scientific papers in the social sciences.
Classic guide to writing effectively and clearly, from the basics of grammar to the art of storytelling.
This classic guide to research and writing provides practical advice on everything from choosing a topic to writing a final draft.
This comprehensive style guide is an essential reference for anyone who writes in the social sciences or humanities.
Save
This comprehensive style guide is an essential reference for anyone who writes in the humanities.
This comprehensive style guide is an essential reference for anyone who writes in the medical or health sciences.
This comprehensive style guide is an essential reference for anyone who writes in the social sciences or humanities.
Provides practical advice on writing scientific papers in the biological sciences.
Save
Provides practical advice on writing scientific papers in the earth sciences.
Save
Provides practical advice on writing scientific papers in the health sciences.
Provides practical advice on writing scientific papers in the physical sciences.
This concise and easy-to-read guide to writing style must-have for any writer, regardless of their level of experience.
Save
Provides practical tips and strategies for overcoming the challenges of academic writing.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/4ahejl/writing
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Effort
8 weeks of study, 3-5 hours/week
Level
Introductory
Via
Coursera
Institution
Stanford University
Instructor
Dr. Kristin Sainani
Language
English
Transcripts
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آذربایجان دیلی
Good to know
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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