Science Writing and New Media: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health

Assignments

Schedule of Major and Minor Assignments

Below is a table listing all the writing assignments for the course. Each assignment is due in the session in which it is listed.

Sample student work for the major assignments can be found in the readings section, since it was required that other students read student-written papers.

SES #	WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1	None
2	Why MIT? (PDF)
3	Reading Response 1 (PDF)
4	Reading Response 2 (PDF) Narrative Essay Kernel & Motive (PDF)
5	Narrative essay, First Version (PDF)
6	Workshop 1 - Comments on Narrative Essays (PDF)
7	Narrative essay, final version
8	None
9	Prepare for critical review: Identify writers / speakers, dates and sources of all materials to consider in your critical review Critical Review Documentaries (PDF) Preparation for the Critical Review (PDF) - Suggestions to help you organize your critical review Critical Review Priorities (PDF) - Questions to guide your approach to the critical review. These same questions will serve as a framework for your feedback to your workshop partners. Critical Review Pre-Draft Exercise 1 (PDF)
10	Write proposal for your critical review (100–150 words) Critical Review Pre-Draft Exercise 2 (PDF)
11	Critical Review, First Version (PDF)
12	Workshop 2 - Comments on Critical Reviews (PDF)
13	Critical Review, final version
14	Two-paragraph summary (c. 200 words) of the Scientific American or New York Times article you have chosen Preparation for your Scientific American Update (PDF)
15	Zeroing in on your Update material List the key advances and / or changes in orientation reported in your review article Write two-sentence synopses of two supplementary journal articles Preparation for your Scientific American Update, Part 2 (PDF)
16	Write proposal for your Scientific American Update (150–200 words) Scientific American Update - Proposal (PDF)
17	Scientific American Update, First Version (PDF)
18	Workshop 3 - Comments on Scientific American Updates (PDF)
19	Revise introduction to Scientific American Update (at least one full page)
20	Scientific American Update, Final Version (PDF)
21	Write up brief response to each TED talk in response to assigned questions TED Talks Assignment (PDF)
22	(For those not presenting): Final short commentary Final Short Assignment (PDF) Oral Presentation Assignment (PDF)
23	(For those not presenting): Final short commentary
24	(For those not presenting): Final short commentary (For everyone): Write out at least three objectives to pursue as you revise your selected assignment for a second time
25	Continue revising selected assignment
26	Second revision of earlier paper Submit a new version of a major writing assignment: The narrative essay, the critical review, or the Scientific American update. The new version should meet the original requirements but should reflect thoughtful and thorough revision of the original version. The new version will receive a new grade. Your final grade for the assignment will be the average of the two grades.