The Department of Writing invites students to enroll in Science Writing (WRTG-31400-01, CRN 41115): 1:10 PM Tuesday, Thursday (Smiddy 114).
This advanced expository course (designated Writing Intensive for the College’s Integrative Core Curriculum) teaches journalistic and literary scientific writing for general and specialized periodicals. Students learn to communicate scientific facts and theories to professional and sophisticated lay readers through description, analogy, narrative, and argument. The course also discusses the technical and scholarly conventions of formal scientific writing, such as research proposals, publishing formats, and APA and CSE citation. Class readings include major humanistic essays from the history of science and articles and features from contemporary popular and scientific publications.
An elective in our major’s feature and professional writing concentrations, Science Writing also serves students in communications, environmental studies, and the health and natural sciences. Accordingly, the course encourages dialogue, debate, and collaboration between aspiring journalists, creative nonfiction writers, publicists, and lobbyists and future clinicians, educators, researchers, scientists, and technicians. Its primary focus, therefore, is institutional science itself, examining its history, organization, politics, and ethics through the lenses of rhetoric and writing.
For more information, download a course syllabus at:
Course prerequisites: Junior standing (freshmen and sophomores welcome with permission of instructor); any one of the following: WRTG 20100 or WRTG 21300 and two courses in the natural sciences; or any level-1 composition course from WRTG 10600 through WRTG 16500 and three courses (at least one above level-1) in the health and natural sciences.
The alternative prerequisites allow easy access to students who are not Writing majors and minors. Should problems occur enrolling online, contact Dr. Anthony Di Renzo at direnzo@ithaca.edu.
Science Writing will not be offered again until Spring 2025. Please take advantage of this opportunity and discover why science writing is America's fastest growing publishing field.