Writing in the Sciences

This course provides instruction in writing for students considering careers or advanced study in the natural, computational, or applied sciences. Through critical reading of key examples of the genres of scientific literature, students study how scientific texts address an audience, make claims, invoke prior claims, deploy key terms, and engage quantitative and visual evidence. The course's workshop approach fosters skills in revision, peer review, and research into the scientific literature. The course offers writing strategies for successful communication in the field, including concise sentences, coherent paragraphs, and well-ordered documents. Projects include an academic research paper on a topic of a student's choice in a form common to most scientific disciplines. The course is also appropriate for students who wish to review their research and writing skills before embarking on a proseminar at the Harvard Extension School or graduate study elsewhere.