<p>Lecture, four hours. Requisites: course 3 and three upper-division courses in the life or physical sciences or engineering. Writing academic science and engineering research articles, and other professional genres, such as reviewer comments and letters to the editor with resubmissions. Introduction to and practicing of methods to communicate about science and technology with attention to the conventions of genre, consideration of academic audiences, identifying and meeting goals, and writing with clarity. Introduction and discussion of current issues, developments, and debates related to science publishing and professionalism. Designed for students working in science and engineering laboratories or planning to enter PhD or MD/PhD programs. P/NP or letter grading.</p>

English Composition

College of Letters and Science

Container 1

Writing Programs

ENGCOMP 134A - Academic Science Writing

Academic Science Writing

Meet the needs of primary and secondary audiences.

Learn to read and write scientific research articles in AIMRAD-based articles (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Identify, understand, and manifest the goals of each section of a journal article. Related to reading and writing research articles: 
Practice establishing authority and credibility; expressing the appropriate level of confidence, persuading without overselling, and other key “moves” in academic articles.
Explore what can be achieved in a journal article: genre boundaries, and examples of their being stretched.
Think critically about the differences between how science gets done and how it’s represented in a journal article; this awareness gives students the go-ahead to construct structured articles from often messy or meandering (years-long) thought processes and experiments. 
Get a sense of the history of the journal article: why does a scientific article take this form? 

Become aware of current issues (trends and challenges) in academic science publication. 

Appreciate and practice clear writing to communicate information and explain science. Get better at NOT using writing to obscure information, hide insecurities, pose, or intimidate.

Develop a writing process that you feel you can count on to successfully complete writing projects; know when to start, what to expect, when to be patient and when to be demanding of oneself, etc.

Form a community of supportive writers and scientists; collaborate by sharing ideas and information with one another, as well as giving each other constructive feedback

General Catalog

Academic Science Writing

ENGCOMP 134A

5 units