Writing in the Sciences

Stanford University

About this Course

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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.

Learner Career Outcomes

19%

started a new career after completing these courses

14%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 30 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English, Arabic

Skills you will gain

GrammarMedical WritingScience CommunicationWriting

Learner Career Outcomes

19%

started a new career after completing these courses

14%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 30 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English, Arabic

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.93/5 (1,052 Ratings)

Dr. Kristin Sainani
Top Instructor

Associate Professor

Health Research and Policy

187,904 Learners

1 Course

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.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(22,261 ratings)

Week

Week 1

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

1.1: Introduction; principles of effective writing11m

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

Week

Week 2

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

2.1: Use the active voice16m

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

Week

Week 3

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

3.1: Experiment with punctuation28m

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

Week

Week 4

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

4.1 More paragraph practice16m

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

Week

Week 5

3 hours to complete

5

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.

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 137 min)

9 videos

5.1: Tables and Figures36m

5.2: Results11m

5.3: Practice writing results6m

5.4: Methods13m

5.5: Introduction15m

5.6: Introduction practice4m

5.7: Discussion21m

5.8: Abstract6m

Demo Edit 5 (Optional)21m

1 practice exercise

Unit 5 Homework45m

Week

Week 6

8 hours to complete

6

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.

8 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 143 min)

9 videos

6.1: Plagiarism17m

6.2: Authorship10m

6.3: The Submission Process11m

6.4: Interview with Dr. Bradley Efron14m

6.5: Interview with Dr. George Lundberg27m

6.6: Interview with Dr. Gary Friedman22m

6.7: Doing a peer review13m

6.8: Predatory journals8m

Demo Edit 6 (Optional)17m

1 practice exercise

Unit 6 Homework20m

Week

Week 7

2 hours to complete

7

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.

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 104 min)

7 videos

7.1: Writing a review article13m

7.2: Grants I13m

7.3: Grants II11m

7.4: Grants III11m

7.5 Writing letters of recommendation20m

7.6: Writing personal statements18m

Demo Edit 7 (Optional)14m

1 practice exercise

Unit 7 Homework45m

Week

Week 8

4 hours to complete

8

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.

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 125 min)

8 videos

8.1: Talking with the media13m

8.2: Panel Interview22m

8.3: Writing for general audiences21m

8.4: Writing a science news story10m

8.5: Interviewing a scientist16m

8.6: Social media20m

8.7: Concluding Remarks47s

Demo Edit 8 (Optional)19m

1 practice exercise

Unit 8 Homework1h

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. 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.
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.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
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.

Writing in the Sciences