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Writing in the Sciences

Instructor: Dr. Kristin Sainani

605,318 already enrolled

8 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

9,813 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

8 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

9,813 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

9 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

91%

of learners achieved a positive career outcome

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There are 8 modules in this course

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.

Unit 1 introduces the course and reviews key principles of effective writing. In particular, you will practice cutting clutter from writing.

What's included

7 videos2 assignments

7 videosTotal 79 minutes

1.1: Introduction; principles of effective writing11 minutes
1.2: Examples of what not to do7 minutes
1.3: Overview, principles of effective writing6 minutes
1.4: Cut the clutter17 minutes
1.5: Cut the clutter, more tricks4 minutes
1.6: Practicing cutting clutter10 minutes
Demo Edit 1 (Optional)23 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 75 minutes

Unit 1 Practice15 minutes
Unit 1 Homework60 minutes

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.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

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.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment1 peer review

8 videosTotal 105 minutes

3.1: Experiment with punctuation28 minutes
3.2: Practice, colon and dash7 minutes
3.3: Parallelism6 minutes
3.4: Paragraphs9 minutes
3.5: Paragraph Editing I14 minutes
3.6: Paragraph Editing II11 minutes
Module 3.7: A few more tips7 minutes
Demo Edit 3 (Optional)23 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 60 minutes

Unit 3 Homework60 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Paragraph editing exercise60 minutes

Unit 4 reviews the writing process. I will give you tips for making the writing process easier, more efficient, and more organized.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

Unit 5 reviews the sections of a scientific manuscript. You will learn how to format tables and figures, and how to write results, methods, introduction, and discussion sections.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

Unit 6 discusses the peer review process, as well as ethical issues in scientific publishing. You will learn how to avoid plagiarism, determine authorship, submit a paper, write a peer review, and avoid predatory journals.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment1 peer review

9 videosTotal 143 minutes

6.1: Plagiarism18 minutes
6.2: Authorship10 minutes
6.3: The Submission Process12 minutes
6.4: Interview with Dr. Bradley Efron15 minutes
6.5: Interview with Dr. George Lundberg27 minutes
6.6: Interview with Dr. Gary Friedman23 minutes
6.7: Doing a peer review14 minutes
6.8: Predatory journals8 minutes
Demo Edit 6 (Optional)18 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Unit 6 Homework20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 300 minutes

Essay300 minutes

Unit 7 reviews types of writing beyond original research manuscripts. You will learn how to write review papers, grants, letters of recommendation, and personal essays.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

Unit 8 reviews communication with broader audiences. You will learn how work with the media, be interviewed, conduct an interview, and write about science for general audiences.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment1 peer review

8 videosTotal 125 minutes

8.1: Talking with the media13 minutes
8.2: Panel Interview23 minutes
8.3: Writing for general audiences21 minutes
8.4: Writing a science news story11 minutes
8.5: Interviewing a scientist16 minutes
8.6: Social media21 minutes
8.7: Concluding Remarks1 minute
Demo Edit 8 (Optional)19 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 60 minutes

Unit 8 Homework60 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Lay summary exercise60 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(4,022 ratings)

Dr. Kristin Sainani

Stanford University

1 Course605,318 learners

Offered by

Stanford University

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Learner reviews

5 stars
89.37%
4 stars
9.58%
3 stars
0.60%
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0.20%
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0.23%

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Reviewed on May 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.

Reviewed on Dec 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.

Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020

a fantastic course! I've recommended it to my colleagues and even my supervisor! Every scientist of today should take this course and perhaps re-read when you want to start writing it! JUST LOVE IT!

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Frequently asked questions

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.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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.

Writing in the Sciences

Writing in the Sciences

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

There are 8 modules in this course

1

What's included

2

What's included

3

What's included

4

What's included

5

What's included

6

What's included

7

What's included

8

What's included

Instructor

Offered by

Explore more from Basic Science

Scientific Writing for Research Grant Proposals

Designing Effective Science Communication

Teaching Writing Process

Introduction to Academic Writing

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Learner reviews

Unlock access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Join over 4,700 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Frequently asked questions

Are there other versions of this course available?

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

More questions