Course Summary
In this course, you will learn how to write effective scientific papers and proposals. You will also learn how to communicate complex scientific ideas to a non-technical audience.Key Learning Points
- Learn how to write scientific papers and proposals
- Develop skills to communicate complex scientific ideas to non-technical audience
- Understand the structure and style of scientific writing
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Write effective and professional scientific papers and proposals
- Communicate complex scientific ideas to non-technical audience
- Understand the scientific writing structure and style
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge in scientific writing
- Good command of the English language
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online
- Self-Paced
Similar Courses
- Writing in the Sciences
- Scientific Writing and Public Speaking
Notable People in This Field
- Science Writer and Journalist
- Science Writer and Journalist
Related Books
Description
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.
Outline
- 1
- 1.1: Introduction; principles of effective writing
- 1.2: Examples of what not to do
- 1.3: Overview, principles of effective writing
- 1.4: Cut the clutter
- 1.5: Cut the clutter, more tricks
- 1.6: Practicing cutting clutter
- Demo Edit 1 (Optional)
- Unit 1 Homework
- 2
- 2.1: Use the active voice
- 2.2: Is it really OK to use "We" and "I"
- 2.3: Active voice practice
- 2.4: Write with verbs
- 2.5: Practice examples
- 2.6: A few grammar tips
- Demo Edit 2 (Optional)
- Unit 2 Homework
- 3
- 3.1: Experiment with punctuation
- 3.2: Practice, colon and dash
- 3.3: Parallelism
- 3.4: Paragraphs
- 3.5: Paragraph Editing I
- 3.6: Paragraph Editing II
- Module 3.7: A few more tips
- Demo Edit 3 (Optional)
- Unit 3 Homework
- 4
- 4.1 More paragraph practice
- 4.2 Overview of the writing process
- 4.3 The pre-writing step
- 4.4 The writing step
- 4.5: Revision
- 4.6: Checklist for the final draft
- Demo Edit 4 (Optional)
- Unit 4 Homework
- 5
- 5.1: Tables and Figures
- 5.2: Results
- 5.3: Practice writing results
- 5.4: Methods
- 5.5: Introduction
- 5.6: Introduction practice
- 5.7: Discussion
- 5.8: Abstract
- Demo Edit 5 (Optional)
- Unit 5 Homework
- 6
- 6.1: Plagiarism
- 6.2: Authorship
- 6.3: The Submission Process
- 6.4: Interview with Dr. Bradley Efron
- 6.5: Interview with Dr. George Lundberg
- 6.6: Interview with Dr. Gary Friedman
- 6.7: Doing a peer review
- 6.8: Predatory journals
- Demo Edit 6 (Optional)
- Unit 6 Homework
- 7
- 7.1: Writing a review article
- 7.2: Grants I
- 7.3: Grants II
- 7.4: Grants III
- 7.5 Writing letters of recommendation
- 7.6: Writing personal statements
- Demo Edit 7 (Optional)
- Unit 7 Homework
- 8
- 8.1: Talking with the media
- 8.2: Panel Interview
- 8.3: Writing for general audiences
- 8.4: Writing a science news story
- 8.5: Interviewing a scientist
- 8.6: Social media
- 8.7: Concluding Remarks
- Demo Edit 8 (Optional)
- Unit 8 Homework
Summary of User Reviews
The Scientific Writing course on Coursera is highly recommended by users. It is a great course for anyone looking to improve their scientific writing skills. One key aspect that many users thought was good is the instructor's feedback on assignments, which helped them improve their writing. However, there were some pros and cons that users mentioned most often.Pros from User Reviews
- Instructor feedback on assignments is helpful
- The course provides practical tips on scientific writing
- The course is well-structured and easy to follow
- The course is free and accessible to anyone
- The course is beneficial for students and professionals alike
Cons from User Reviews
- The course can be a bit repetitive
- The quizzes are too easy and don't challenge the learners
- The course is not comprehensive enough for advanced learners
- The peer-review process can be frustrating at times
- The course lacks interactive elements