Course Information - STC 349 / ENV 349 / JRN 349
This course teaches STEM & non-STEM majors how to write about research in STEM fields with clarity and a bit of flair. Goal is to learn to convey technical topics to non-experts in a compelling, enjoyable way while staying true to the underlying facts, context and concepts. We do this through readings, class discussion, encounters with professional writers and journalists of all sorts, across several different media. Most important of all, students practice what they learn in frequent writing assignments that are critiqued extensively by an experienced science journalist.
Instructors: Michael D. Lemonick
Distribution: SEN
Michael D. Lemonick, Instructor
One of the great pleasures of teaching "Writing About Science" is introducing students to a style of writing much different from what they do for most of their other courses in that it's aimed at non-expert readers. That being the case, there's a premium on being engaging and conversational, not just on making a compelling argument. Several of my former students have gone on to careers in journalism, while others--some from as far back as the late 1990s tell me that it has helped them write more clearly and effectively in other professions.
