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.



Writing in the Sciences

Instructor: Dr. Kristin Sainani
Access provided by Coursera Learning Team
548,682 already enrolled
(9,155 reviews)
Skills you'll gain
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
8 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills


Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review

There are 8 modules in this course
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 videos1 assignment
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
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
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
Instructor

Offered by
Why people choose Coursera for their career




Learner reviews
9,155 reviews
- 5 stars
89.57%
- 4 stars
9.40%
- 3 stars
0.58%
- 2 stars
0.19%
- 1 star
0.22%
Showing 3 of 9155
Reviewed on May 11, 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 Oct 13, 2020
This course covers each and every aspect about "Writing" - be it a research paper, a recommendation letter, an abstract, and much more. The well organized structure helps to grasp the points faster.
Reviewed on Jan 12, 2023
The best course I attain in Coursera. I struggled a lot to write my first manuscript and it took a lot of time. This course is beneficial for all scientific students. I highly recommended this course.
Recommended if you're interested in Health
O.P. Jindal Global University
University of Colorado System
University of California, Irvine
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy