ENGL 4824: Science Writing
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Writing in and about the natural and social sciences. Students will write documents such as abstracts, research proposals, and ethnographies, analyze the development of disciplinary writing practices, and study non-fiction science writing for general audiences. Senior standing or instructor approval required.
In this course, we will closely analyze the structure and content of scientific journal articles in IMRAD format. In addition, we will trace the origins of writing about scientific research and its connection to classical and current rhetoric. After exploring writing about primary scientific research, we will partner with the Fralin Life Science Institute and the Center for Communicating Science to conduct interviews with VT science students and write spotlight stories about their research. Each student’s story is eligible for consideration to be published by one of these partner organizations. Specifically, our interviews will highlight the research of women and people of color in the sciences, and some of our readings will address the reasoning behind and importance of this practice. Finally, our course will culminate in a collaborative project that aims to communicate science. Students are responsible for developing the content and format of this project in partnership with the Center for Communicating Science and under the advisement and direction of the instructor.
Syllabus Infographic
Students in this class decided what to create for their final collaborative project in Spring 2018, and they created three main content areas: science communication, video transcript analysis, and shortened interview videos. While I guided students during this process and offered feedback on their content, they worked in teams to produce what you see on these pages. Watching their work materialize has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my teaching career so far. I hope you enjoy and find use for what they have creatively and conscientiously contributed to science writing and communication.