Science Writing and New Media: Explorations in Communicating about Science and Technology
Examines principles of good writing, focusing on those associated with scientific and technical writing. Considers the effects of new media as an avenue for communicating about science. Students discuss scientific articles and essays and work in small groups to critique each other's writing. Assignments include a critical review, a science essay for the general public, and a research or service project proposal. Students choose topics that reflect their background and interests. Formal and informal presentations and group discussions develop oral communication skills. Limited to 15.
Spring 2017 · Science Writing and New Media: Explorations in Communicating about Science & Technology
Topics
- Course overview & introductory questionnaire
- In-class workshop on museum review assignment in progress:
- Background on Assignments #2 and #3
- General principles for writing about science for the general public: A mathematician’s perspective
- Researching your topic
- Discuss science essay
- Using source material in your writing
- Citing source material
- Illustrations in scientific & technical writing
- Writing workshop on science essays
- Background on Assignment #3
- Topic workshop
- Absracts & budgets
- Writing workshop: Reviewing proposals
- Workshop on communicating through email
- Principles of effective public speaking
- Oral presentations
Readings
- Parker, Kate. “From Chalk Pit to Treasure Trove.” IEE Review , vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 159–160, July 15, 1999.
- SES #: 6 · TOPICS: Background on Assignments #2 and #3 · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 9 · TOPICS: Discuss science essay · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 11 · TOPICS: Using source material in your writing · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 12 · TOPICS: Discuss science essay · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 13 · TOPICS: Citing source material · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 14 · TOPICS: Illustrations in scientific & technical writing · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 15 · TOPICS: Writing workshop on science essays · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 16 · TOPICS: Background on Assignment #4 · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 17 · TOPICS: Topic workshop · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 18 · TOPICS: Absracts & Budgets · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 19 · TOPICS: Writing workshop: Reviewing proposals · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 20 · TOPICS: Workshop on communicating through email · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 21 · TOPICS: Principles of effective public speaking · READINGS: No assigned readings
- SES #: 22–25 · TOPICS: Oral Presentations · READINGS: No assigned readings
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: None U (Fall, Spring) 3-0-9 units. HASS-H; CI-HW Credit cannot also be received for 21W.034 , 21W.035 , 21W.036
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2017
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.