Scientific Writing for Biology: The Art of Communicating (BIOL 3396) and Advanced Study in Biology (BIOL 4396) require a registration override for students who aren’t graduating in Spring 2025 or Summer 2025. Students who are graduating later than Summer 2025 who are interested in enrolling in either of these courses (BIOL 3396/ BIOL 4396) this upcoming Spring 2025 should fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Course Description
Scientific Writing for Biology: The Art of Communicating (BIOL 3396) is designed for upper-level undergraduate students majoring in a natural science. This seminar course teaches students how to communicate scientific information in written and oral (PowerPoint) formats clearly and succinctly. The development and refinement of the primary research article represents the core of the course; however, other genres of scientific writing (and audiences) are explored. In addition, students develop their skills as revisers, editors, and reviewers through in-class exercises that focus on giving (and receiving) constructive criticism. As part of a secondary goal of the course, other professional forms of writing (e.g., cover letters, personal statements, and resumes) as well as careers in scientific writing are discussed.
Advanced Study in Biology (BIOL 4396) is a writing-intensive research course focused around the independent research of a senior undergraduate in one of the research labs in Biology, or another approved school or department (research mentor must be approved by course instructor or major advisor). Ideally, the student will have conducted independent research in the mentor's laboratory prior to taking this course, although that is not a requirement. During lecture sessions, students will receive instruction in the elements of a scientific paper, writing effectively in the style of the subject, visually representing their data, and the process of submitting and reviewing a scientific paper. Over the course of the semester, the student will propose a specific topic for the manuscript, write a manuscript in the format of a journal in the field of study, and present the research in class. The research mentor will review the manuscript a minimum of two times during the semester, and the student will revise the manuscript accordingly. At the end of the semester, the final manuscript will be submitted to the mentor, who will provide their evaluation to the course instructor and will be factored into the final grade.