Honors Scientific Writing
Price
TBA
Duration
2 Quarters; 1 Semester
Table of Contents
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Writing is fundamental to what we do in science, whether it's writing a lab report, a manuscript or a grant. Your success as a scientist and researcher depends on your ability to communicate effectively using the written word. However, most scientists receive little, if any, formal training in writing. Consequently, so much of the world's science writing is hard to read. But it doesn't need to be.
Scientists and researchers can improve their writing abilities, learn how to create compelling abstracts, opening statements, and conclusions, and obtain a better understanding of the peer-review procedure by taking a course on scientific writing. Scientists and researchers can increase the exposure and influence of their work by writing more effectively and communicating their findings to peers, collaborators, and the larger scientific community.
Honors Scientific Writing offers a thorough introduction to the rules and methods of effective scientific writing, covering topics like the rules of clear writing, the format of scientific papers, the use of evidence, peer review and editing, ethics and responsible research practices, as well as crucial abilities like grant writing, recommendation letter writing, review article writing, and personal statement writing.
In the first half of this honors-level course, students will review and master the foundational principles of effective writing, examining both exemplary and poor writing samples while discovering techniques to simplify the writing process. The remaining portion of the course will focus on tackling specific challenges unique to scientific writing, such as understanding authorship rules, navigating peer review procedures, structuring an original manuscript, and communicating complex scientific concepts to lay audiences in an engaging manner.
COURSE FORMAT
The class meets 90 minutes twice a week (M/W or T/Th) for 20 weeks. Like all other courses in our curriculum, Honors Scientific Writing consists of two components: asynchronous and synchronous learning.
We use the Writing in the Sciences course by Stanford University for the asynchronous flipped classroom portion of the course. This makes up 30% of your overall grade.
Your academy instructor will facilitate the virtual in-person synchronous portion of the course. This makes up 60% of your overall grade.
Asynchronous Learning
Writing in the Sciences is created and taught by Dr. Kristin Sainani, Ph.D., who is an associate professor at Stanford University and also a health and science writer. Dr. Sainani breaks down key writing concepts with bite-sized, video lessons which are organized into topical chapters that improve comprehension and retention, making learning fun and engaging. Each video is approximately 8-10 minutes in length and comes with a quick quiz to help you measure your "first exposure learning" during the pre-work phase prior to the actual class. At the end of each module, you will complete a test to see if you're ready to move on or have some material to review.
You should expect to spend 50-70 minutes per week on these homework assignments. The academy intentionally schedules no classes on Fridays to provide dedicated time for homework assignments and out-of-class projects.
Synchronous Learning
Our academy instructor, who will also serve as your Gamemaster, will facilitate the live, virtual classroom sessions, which will supplement and build upon the Writing in the Sciences course. Additionally, they will answer any questions you may have about the asynchronous material.
Our primary textbook for this course is Principles of Scientific Communication by professsors Amanda Bongers and Donal Macartney. This free, open-source resource is a comprehensive guide designed to enhance your scientific writing skills. It covers everything from fundamental writing techniques and document structuring to more advanced topics like grant writing and visual data representation. The book emphasizes the importance of clarity and precision in scientific communication, crucial for making your research accessible and impactful.
With practical tips, engaging exercises, and real-world examples, this textbook will help you master various forms of scientific writing, including research proposals, journal articles, and infographics. It also addresses the challenge of communicating science to non-specialist audiences, ensuring that by the end of the course, you’ll not only refine your writing skills but also gain the confidence to present your work effectively to both scientific peers and the general public.
Our in-person sessions are designed to make learning fun and interactive! Here's what you can expect:
Interactive discussions: We will delve deeper into key concepts from the asynchronous material and address any common misconceptions.
Game-based activities: Earn points and badges, and climb the leaderboard as you embark on you embark on edventures through the criminal justice system!
RPG Simulations: Step into the shoes of the defendants and the respondents who argued influential landmark criminal cases that made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and face off against a virtual opponent as you use constitutional principles and legal precedents to build your case and persuade the court.
Exams
There will be a comprehensive mid-term exam over all content covered during the first quarter and a comprehensive final exam over all content covered during the second quarter. Both of these exams are weighted equally, and the combined average will make up 10% of your course grade.
COURSE TOPICS
Modules: 8; Lessons: 61
INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION BOARD
Each module features an interactive discussion board powered by Discussion Hero, a gamified platform developed by Northwestern University. Students choose between "hero" and "villain" roles and avatars, earning points for their contributions. This fosters a sense of competition and engagement, making discussions even more rewarding.
Benefits of Participating in Discussions:
Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Go beyond memorization and passive learning by analyzing information, evaluating different perspectives, and forming your own conclusions.
Enhance communication skills: Practice clear communication, learn to articulate your ideas effectively, and develop respectful listening and rebuttal skills.
Fosters a collaborative learning environment: Learn from each other, share knowledge, and collaborate on problem-solving, creating a dynamic and enriching learning community.
Deepen your understanding of the content: Actively engaging with the course material through discussion solidifies and expands your understanding beyond lectures and readings.
Provides diverse perspectives: Discussions expose you to different viewpoints and interpretations, encouraging critical thinking and broadening your understanding of the subject matter.
Offers opportunities for self-reflection: Examining your own thoughts and arguments in response to prompts and engaging with others' perspectives helps solidify your learning and identify areas for further exploration.
Apply knowledge to real-world scenarios: Apply course concepts to real-world situations through discussions, enhancing the material's relevance.
Build a digital learning portfolio: Discussions serve as a reference for your learning journey, allowing you to revisit key concepts and track your progress.
Develop digital literacy: Discussions provide a platform to practice online communication etiquette, including respectful disagreement, constructive argumentation, and responsible information sharing.
To actively engage in meaningful learning and reap the benefits mentioned above, participation in each module's discussion board is expected and will contribute to your overall grade. Your instructor will provide a clear rubric within Discussion Hero outlining the expectations for participation and how your contributions will be evaluated. This ensures consistent and transparent assessment while allowing you to showcase your understanding and critical thinking skills throughout the course.
PEER-REVIEW WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational principles of effective scientific writing.
Write with strong, active verbs and effectively distinguish between active and passive voice.
Utilize punctuation and sentence structure techniques, including colons, dashes, parentheses, and semi-colons, to improve writing clarity.
Craft well-organized and concise paragraphs while recognizing the importance of varying sentence structure.
Follow the writing process, including pre-writing, writing, revision, and final draft checklist, to enhance the efficiency and organization of your writing.
Compose different sections of a scientific manuscript, including tables, figures, results, methods, introduction, discussion, and abstract.
Understand the peer review process, ethical considerations in scientific publishing, and how to avoid plagiarism.
Determine authorship criteria and navigate the submission process for scientific publications.
Write review articles, grants, letters of recommendation, and personal essays effectively.
Communicate scientific concepts to broader audiences through media interactions, interviews, science news stories, and social media engagement.
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course.
COURSE CERTIFICATE
The Course Certificate includes:
The course name
The lead instructor's signature
The logo of Stanford University
Honors Recognition
A verification URL that allows others to check the Certificate's authenticity
A statement that confirms the identity of the learner who completed the course
The Course Certificate does not include:
Academic credit from Stanford University
The final grade you got in the course
Your Instructor
TBD
