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

Calendar

SES #	IN CLASS ACTIVITIES	WRITING DUE
1	Introduction	None
2	Read responses in pairs and introduce one another Writing for a specific audience: Discuss résumé and cover letter as forms of introduction	Writing due: “Why MIT?”
3	None	Reading Response 1
4	None	Reading Response 2 Narrative Essay Kernel & Motive
5	Different views of doctors’ mistakes - student led	Narrative essay, 1st version
6	Workshop in small groups	Workshop 1 - Comments on narrative essays
7	View sample documentaries and develop collective “critical review”	Narrative essay, final version
8	Select and view a pair of health science documentaries	None
9	View documentaries again and take detailed notes (to provide direct evidence in your critical review) Present materials to class	Prepare for critical review: Identify writers / speakers, dates and sources of all materials to consider in your critical review Critical Review Pre-Draft Exercise 1
10	Discuss strategies for writing about science for the general public	Write proposal for your critical review (100–50 words) Critical Review Pre-Draft Exercise 2
11	None	Critical Review, 1st version
12	Workshop on critical review Discuss next two writing assignments Discuss meaning of “public health” and scan list of articles on public health topics	Workshop 2 - Comments on Critical Reviews
13	Library session in Hayden	Critical Review, final version
14	Discuss differences between a scholarly review article and a magazine article that provides an overview of a topic or issue. Audience. Function. Structure. Evidence. Language. Discuss differing documentation strategies for scientific review articles and magazine articles	Two-paragraph summary (c. 200 words) of the Scientific American or New York Times article you have chosen Preparation for your Scientific American Update
15	Discuss summary vs. paraphrase	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
16	Workshop on proposals	Write proposal for your Scientific American Update (150–200 words)
17	Workshop on introductory sections	Scientific American Update, 1st version
18	Update workshop in small groups	Workshop 3 - Comments on Scientific American Updates
19	Workshop on revised introductions	Revise introduction to Scientific American Update (at least one full page)
20	View recent TED talk on public health issue Discuss criteria for slide presentations	Scientific American Update, final version
21	Discuss oral presentations and slide composition	Write up brief response to each TED talk in response to assigned questions
22	Six oral presentations	(For those not presenting): Final short commentary
23	Six oral presentations	(For those not presenting): Final short commentary
24	Final six oral presentations	(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	Advanced editing workshop Sentence-level feedback from your peers	Continue revising selected assignment
26	Read selected passages to the class	Second revision of earlier paper