Course Description
This writing-intensive course is designed to introduce, develop and refine scientific writing skills for undergraduate and graduate students. Students will write and evaluate scientific literature, critiquing language and effectiveness across audiences. Fundamentals of citing references, peer reviews, and developing a personal style and literary voice will be covered.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to act as handling editors for a series of peer-submitted assignments. In this role, the graduate student will (a) create a synopsis of the edits received from peers and present this in a constructive manner to the writer; (b) review the revisions of peer-submitted assignments and provide feedback to the reviewers; and (c) review initial drafts of the cover letters for the submission of undergraduate assignments.
Athena Title
Scientific Writing
Non-Traditional Format
The W suffix is used for courses taught as writing intensive, which means that the course includes substantial and ongoing writing assignments that a) facilitate learning; b) teach the communication values of a discipline—for example, its practices of argument, evidence, credibility, and format; c) support writing as a process; and d) prepare students for further writing in their academic work, in graduate school, and in professional life. Writing instruction and assignments are integral to the class’s learning objectives, and the instructor (and/or the teaching assistant assigned to the course) will be closely involved in supporting students as writers. More specifically, writing-intensive classes: • involve students in informal writing assignments that promote course learning; • stage and sequence assignments to encourage writing as a process of creating and communicating knowledge; • maximize opportunities for guidance, feedback, and revision; • teach the writing conventions that are inseparable from modes of inquiry in a discipline; and • make writing a substantive component of the overall course grade to underscore the value of writing to the course, the discipline, and student learning.
Prerequisite
[(ENGL 1101 or ENGL 1101E or ENGL 1101S) and (BIOL 1103 or BIOL 1103E or BIOL 2103H or BIOL 2103S or BIOL 1104 or BIOL 2104H or BIOL 1107 or BIOL 1107E or BIOL 2107H or ECOL 1000 or ECOL 1000E or ECOL 1000H)] or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Students will gain the techniques and tools needed to write a succinct and informative short communication or note-style scientific manuscript. Importantly, students will also learn a variety of strategies and methods in crafting and delivering peer-reviews of scientific manuscripts. 2. Through numerous writing and revision opportunities, students will practice the use of correct grammar, tense, active vs passive voice, and properly cited references to craft examples of compelling scientific writing. 3. Students will evaluate and critique the written structure of various scientific products and formulate constructive peer-reviews to pre-print articles as one might as a reviewer for a journal. 4. Students will conduct peer evaluations of writing and communicate suggestions to peers in class. This feedback will then be applied to drafts in progress throughout the semester. 5. Students explore the ethics of scientific writing, identify plagiarism, and gain tools to properly cite references when crafting manuscripts. 6. Students will author a cover letter and rebuttal letter (including responses to suggested revisions) to experience the peer-review submission and review process when submitting to various scientific peer-reviewed journals.
Topical Outline
Course Introduction - Objectives and Learning Outcomes Ethics of scientific communication - citations and references A primer on EndNote Types of scientific literature - from full manuscript to short notes Crafting an informative and concise peer review for a journal Rules of revision Deciding on structure Putting the pieces together Cover letters, rebuttal letters, and revisions - Oh My Examples of some writing assignments for Writing Intensive Designation: Writing the short communication - a manuscript in 2000 words Semester-long project with several revisions Each student will be asked to draft a short scientific communication as though it were to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Groups will be given a variety of data/results/analyses and will base their writing on this material. A bulleted methodology will be provided but the students will need to work this information into the manuscript. The focus of this project is to develop the introduction, methods, results, and discussion as a seamless, cohesive whole while staying below a 2,000-word count. Polishing the peer review process Intermittent assignments throughout the semester - aligns with Short Communication assignment. Groups of review boards will be assigned, led by a graduate student acting as handling editor. Students will receive anonymous drafts of short communication sections and be asked to provide critical reading and review. Graduate student editors will be asked to assist in the formulation of these edits, and communication in written form to the author. The style will mimic that of a typical peer-reviewed journal submission process. Speaking plainly, communicating effectively Assignments at the beginning and end of the semester - will focus on changes in communication to public audiences before and after writing Students will be asked to prepare a short news/press summary of the research findings provided at the beginning of the semester. At the end of the semester, and after spending considerable time developing their short communication on the same topic, students will revisit the first written press release and submit both as an assignment evaluating scientific communication to the general public.
Syllabus