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.
Offered By
Writing in the Sciences
Stanford University
About this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
25%
started a new career after completing these courses
19%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Skills you will gain
GrammarMedical WritingScience CommunicationWriting
Learner Career Outcomes
25%
started a new career after completing these courses
19%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
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Flexible deadlines
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Beginner Level
Approx. 25 hours to complete
Suggested: 8 weeks of study, 3-5 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English, Arabic
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
2 hours to complete
1
Unit 1 introduces the course and reviews key principles of effective writing. In particular, you will practice cutting clutter from writing.
2 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 79 min)
7 videos
1.2: Examples of what not to do6m
1.3: Overview, principles of effective writing6m
1.4: Cut the clutter17m
1.5: Cut the clutter, more tricks4m
1.6: Practicing cutting clutter9m
Demo Edit 1 (Optional)23m
1 practice exercise
Unit 1 Homework1h
2 hours to complete
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.
2 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 87 min)
7 videos
2.2: Is it really OK to use "We" and "I"5m
2.3: Active voice practice5m
2.4: Write with verbs8m
2.5: Practice examples20m
2.6: A few grammar tips10m
Demo Edit 2 (Optional)20m
1 practice exercise
Unit 2 Homework1h
4 hours to complete
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 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 105 min)
8 videos
3.2: Practice, colon and dash6m
3.3: Parallelism5m
3.4: Paragraphs9m
3.5: Paragraph Editing I13m
3.6: Paragraph Editing II11m
Module 3.7: A few more tips7m
Demo Edit 3 (Optional)22m
1 practice exercise
Unit 3 Homework1h
4 hours to complete
4
Unit 4 reviews the writing process. I will give you tips for making the writing process easier, more efficient, and more organized.
4 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 81 min)
7 videos
4.2 Overview of the writing process7m
4.3 The pre-writing step11m
4.4 The writing step7m
4.5: Revision5m
4.6: Checklist for the final draft12m
Demo Edit 4 (Optional)20m
1 practice exercise
Unit 4 Homework3h
Reviews
4.9
TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITING IN THE SCIENCES
by SDFeb 25, 2020
Respected Dr.kristiani sainani madam and coursera.\n\nI thank you for the wonderful classes and presentations, it really didn't made me feel that i was learning online course but as in class learning.
by SOJun 22, 2019
Great course. Learned so much that will help me be a better writer and editor, not only in the sciences, but in other areas. A fantastic professor, clear thinking, speaking, writing. an inspiration.
by AVSep 22, 2019
A very good and useful course focusing not only on grammar and papers but on personal statements and news articles as well. The lecturer shares lots of insight from her vast experience and examples.
by TJan 31, 2019
The course is so informative that I think everyone should take a try. It provides us a fundamental elements to write in a professional way that is not only for our study but also for our profession.
by SPMay 10, 2019
Fantastic course that's hard to fault. I am not a working scientist but an inspiring writer in the medical / scientific field. This couse refreshed my knowledge and taught me a lot more. Thank you.
by HEDec 19, 2017
Thanks Dr. Kristin for this interesting course. It was so useful. I have learnt a lot from it. Your pretty way of teaching encouraged me to complete the course. Thanks for this exciting experience.
by PSDec 19, 2019
This is one of the wonderful course on Writing that I came across. I highly recommend this course to people who are interested in making their career in writing or prospective doctorate students.
by JFApr 3, 2018
I started this course several years ago and stop. Two weeks ago I started again this course and I could finished it in two weeks. I found this course very helpful in improving my writing skill.
by AVNov 30, 2019
This is a fantastic course for people at any level of their science carrier. The knowledge I have gained here will help me in every writing foray - from grants to personal essays to blog posts.
by CHDec 25, 2017
The professor was very good, personable, and rarely boring. The course covered a lot of area for editors, writers, scientists, and others who find themselves writing/editing technical papers.
by VVJan 16, 2020
This course allowed me to understand my abilities. Thanks to the wide scope of topics, I was able to understand that I was dreaming of becoming an editor of a scientific journal. Thank you!
by ANApr 18, 2018
It is a really good course for students who are just learning how to write scientific manuscripts. Moreover this course also covers other writings apart from scientific manuscript writing.
by ZWJul 5, 2018
The key points in this course are quite clear and tips are useful. Wish every student could get some feedback from professors regarding to our writing. Many thanks to Dr. Kristin Sainani.
by JTMay 2, 2018
This course has really helped me summarise scientific concepts and translate these for a lay audience. Would highly recommend for anyone looking to improve their overall writing ability.
by EDAug 2, 2019
I want to thank you Dr. Kristin Sainani and all presenters, for putting together such an amazing course. It was an incredible learning experience from start to finish. Thank you so much!
by ABFeb 25, 2018
Every person who intends to join scientific world must take this course. Course content is very well designed and explained. This course has made an impact on the way I think and write.
by JHAug 7, 2019
Muy bien organizado y presentado, me ha motivado e inspirado mucho a seguir entrenando en el mundo de la investigación medica. Incluso he comprado varios libros recomendados en el curso
by PLJul 31, 2019
I really appreciate the content of this course. I learnt new things inspite being into medical writing for 1 year. I would definitely recommend this course to other medical writers too.
by CLAug 15, 2018
While taking this class, I immediately noticed a difference in the quality of my writing. Even if you don't write papers on hard sciences (I study archaeology) the concepts still apply.
by CHJul 8, 2018
I have really enjoyed this course. As someone who is about to embark on my MSc Kinesiology, I found it very useful. Reviewing this course a second time would be very helpful as well.
Offered by
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is an American private research university located in Stanford, California on an 8,180-acre (3,310 ha) campus near Palo Alto, California, United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
Are there other versions of this course available?
Yes. There is a Stanford Lagunita offering, and a Continuing Medical Education (CME) offering. The different offerings are described below:
The Stanford Lagunita offering is self-paced, unmoderated, includes self assessment assignments, and offers you the ability to earn a free Statement of Accomplishment.
The Coursera offering is provided on a monthly basis, is more moderated, includes peer assessment assignments, and offers you the ability to earn a certificate of completion for a fee.
The CME offering can be used to earn Continuing Medical Education credits.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.