Although Margaret Proctor asked a similar question in 1995, I think an
update is probably justified: Who is teaching technical writing/scientific
writing courses at the undergrad level, and what do those courses look like?
My immediate reason for asking is that UNBC has a course on the books called
English 370 Scientific Writing, and it is to be planned and spring into
action. Although the title, chosen maybe 5 years ago, suggests teaching
science students how to write lab reports, this is not the case. The course
is open to all students, and more students from the arts and social sciences
have expressed interest than students from the sciences (Chemistry has an
upper division science-writing course which any science student can,
technically speaking, enroll in.)
One basic decision is whether to offer a technical writing course or to a
scientific and science writing course (scientific writing being pieces by
Galileo etc. and the modern research report; science writing being writing
about science, usually popularizing scientific knowledge).
I'd like to get a feel for what other universities are offering, and I'm
open to any guidance and comments from folks who have been involved in
planning and teaching such courses.
Cheers,
Jim Bell
Coordinator, Learning Skills Centre
University of Northern BC
3333 University Way
Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9
Phone: 250-960-6365
Fax: 250-960-6330
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