Discovering Science

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more The course is suitable for anyone with a general interest in science; no previous knowledge or experience is required. If you are working in the field of science and would like to practice and improve your science writing skills, this course is designed to support you as a professional. By completing all aspects of the course you will have achieved 10 hours of CPD time. You can use the hashtag #FLsciwriting to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Examine the different forms science writing can take, and the sources for finding out about science.
Examine the factors to consider when preparing to write your own science story, such as the angle, who your audience is, and why they will be interested in a story.
Understand how to structure a narrative.
Examine the different components you need to write for news articles, press releases and blogs, such as the headline for a news article.
Understand the importance of balance in a news story and how to achieve it.
Explore how to use video stories to communicate scientific information to different audiences.
Explore interviewing techniques to use before and during a broadcast.
Write a news article, blog post or video script; and review and comment on the work of other learners.

Reviews summary

Practical introduction to science writing

According to learners, this course provides a solid introduction to the field of science writing, covering various formats like news articles, blogs, and video scripts. Students frequently highlight the practical writing assignments and the opportunity to review peers' work as particularly valuable, fostering learning through practice and feedback. While considered foundational and potentially less challenging for those with prior experience, it's widely seen as an excellent starting point for beginners interested in communicating science effectively to different audiences.

Covers multiple science writing types.

"I appreciated learning about different forms of science communication, not just articles but also video and blogs."

"The course covered a useful range of formats for science writing."

"Explores writing for various media like news, blogs, and even scripts for videos."

Learning from reviewing others' work.

"Reviewing other students' work was surprisingly insightful and helped me improve my own writing."

"The peer review process added a valuable dimension to the learning experience."

"Giving and receiving feedback from peers was a great way to see different approaches and common issues."

Offers a good starting point for beginners.

"This course was a good introductory level course to science writing."

"I found this course to be a solid introduction to the principles of science writing."

"It's an excellent starting point if you're new to writing about science for a general audience."

Hands-on practice is highly valued.

"The writing assignments were the most helpful part; actually doing the writing made a difference."

"Putting the concepts into practice through the assignments was very effective."

"I learned best by completing the practical exercises."

May be too basic for experienced writers.

"As someone with some prior writing experience, I found parts of the course quite basic."

"If you're already a professional writer, this might feel more like a refresher than new material."

"It provides a good overview, but doesn't go into deep theoretical detail or advanced techniques."

Career center

Learners who complete Discovering Science: Science Writing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Topics Covered

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Reviews summary

Practical introduction to science writing

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