This course is recommended to students who are about to write their first scientific papers in English. The instructor is a native speaker of English with a lot of experience in research and writing papers and patents at academic institutions or in the pharmaceutical industry. The instructor will help students learn how to write a scientific paper properly before you have to write your first one. The course will be challenging but relaxed in a small class setting. A semi-private lesson allows for a high level of personal attention and support by the instructor. The aim of this course is to help students learn writing skills and nurture their ability to apply the skills to actual writings.
By the end of this course students should be able to:
1) develop a detailed argument with descriptive text using core ideas. 2) explain contrasting ideas with a logically coherent text. 3) write coherent and logical paragraphs. 4) write continuous, flowing texts. 5) mention sources, adjust expressions, and revise texts through reviews.
expository writing, academic writing
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
At the beginning of each class, solutions to problems assigned in the previous class are reviewed. Students are given exercise problems throughout the lecture given that day to solve. To prepare for a class, students should read the textbook ahead of class on topics that will be covered. Additional writing assignments may be required to be completed outside the class.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Introduction to Global Writing | Writing a bibliography. Impromptu writing. |
Class 2 | Audience, Purpose and Strategy, Organization | Characteristics of academic writing. Positioning as capable, credible and knowledgeable writers. |
Class 3 | Style | Parts of speech. Vocabulary. |
Class 4 | Flow, Presentation | Linking words and phrases. |
Class 5 | General-Specific Texts | Ordering ideas. Writing short and extended definitions. |
Class 6 | Problem, Process, and Solution | Procedures. Processes. Cause and effect. |
Class 7 | Data Commentary | Problem-solution texts help to organize academic argument. Explanations using process descriptions. |
Class 8 | Class Overview of First-Half of the Course and Mid-Term Exam | How first-half of the course is related to second-half of the course. |
Class 9 | Writing Summaries | Plagiarism. Paraphrasing. Summary phrases. Similarities and differences. |
Class 10 | Writing Critiques | Stating opinions. Evaluative language. Beginning critiques. Inversions. |
Class 11 | Constructing a Research Paper I | Publication types. Linking phrases in Methods sections. |
Class 12 | Constructing a Research Paper I | Declaring a position. Using special verbs correctly. Comparative expressions. |
Class 13 | Constructing a Research Paper II | Quoting and tense. Expressing goals. |
Class 14 | Constructing a Research Paper II | Discussion section. Levels of generalization. Expressions of limitation. |
Class 15 | Final Exam | Students will be tested on their writing skills and material from the entire course. |
Academic Writing for International Students of Science (Jane Bottomley, Routledge) ISBN: 978-0-415-83241-0 (paperback)
The Elements of Technical Writing (Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly, Longman); The Craft of Scientific Writing (Michael Alley, Springer)
Students' knowledge of writing skills and their ability to apply the skills to actual writing situations will be assessed. Midterm and final exams 60%, exercise problems 40%.
As a general rule, students are allowed to enroll only one course from Science and Technology Communication Subjects of the Education Academy of Computational Life Sciences at a time.