Self-Assessment: Writing for Science

Learning about science has always been a fascinating experience for me. After a long semester, putting in my time and effort, now it is time for self-evaluation. During this spring of 2019, I took this writing for science class, which I believe has helped me learn about science, specifically biology. Taking this writing class was a great experience for me as I learned about different scientific studies and was able to do scientific research. This writing course has helped me write my own research on different topics. For this class, I had to write different assignments like an introductory letter, a technical description paper, a controversy paper, a few summary and response essays, and a collaborative research paper. All these assignments have taught me some valuable lessons, which I believe have made me a better scientific researcher and a writer.

Writing the technical description paper was one of my favorite assignments as the requirements for this paper were different than other papers. For this assignment, we were required to write a description of an object, mechanism, or a process and we were not required to make it completely a scientific paper. The best part of this assignment was the very few restrictions we had regarding formatting. We were allowed to add graphics as the purpose of this assignment was to make it look like pages from a book. We were required to make the third assignment as audience appealing and attractive as possible. At first, I was confused as I had no idea where to start; but later after some online research considering my own area of interest, I came up with the topic of the velscope and cancer. This paper has taught me much more than I expected. The major things I learned from this assignment were to describe a process and the working of a machine. Moreover, I also learned, how to make my writing audience appealing by adding graphics, audience-friendly by keeping track of my information and citing material with MLA format.

Writing the controversy paper was another major assignment for this class. This was a research paper based on a scientific controversy and we had to choose a side either for or against an issue. To write this assignment, I chose the topic of full-body X-ray scanners that are used at the airports by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). For this paper, I argued against the use of full-body scanners as I had mentioned in my paper that these machines release cancer-causing radiation, and that therefore the use of these machines should be prohibited. Writing this controversy paper was another great experience as it has taught me to argue for the betterment of the world, we live in. To write this paper, I read several articles from the New York Times. Some of these were for and some were against the use of the full-body scanners. Reading from different articles helped me get a better insight into the topic and ultimately convinced me to choose the topic of banning the use of full-body scanners. This assignment has taught me to use different studies to evaluate the reality behind a particular scenario, the use of paraphrasing and citations with APA format. Moreover, I also learned how to convince an audience by providing reasoning and logic and finding a solution to an existing scientific problem.

Other than the controversy paper and the technical description paper, I also had to write three summary and response essays. These essays were based on reading an article, of our own interest, from the New York Times and responding accordingly. All these articles are based on controversies related to dental health and my reaction to them. With some of the articles I read, I agreed with the authors and others I disagreed. The major role of these assignments was to make me a better scientific writer by introducing me to different controversial approaches. Writing these papers has taught me the skill of evaluating a topic, reacting to the topic, using proper grammar and formatting, and using citations. Moreover, I think these assignments were like steps off a ladder that helped me achieve my skills to write on scientific topics and doing them has encouraged me to learn more about science.

Lastly, for the collaborative research paper, I had to work with my class fellows on a scientific controversy, which required a presentation and a 6-8 pages long essay. This research was a mix of ideas and knowledge, which led us to choose the topic of antibiotics resistance. The antibiotics resistance is a growing issue and has not yet been solved by scientists. The purpose of this assignment was to engage and work with my classmates. To write this research paper, my main contributions were to write the Methods and Materials, and the conclusion. During my spring break, I read the book “Writing in The Sciences” by Ann M. Penrose and Steven B. Katz, which was recommended by my professor. This book really helped me understand the concepts behind writing the Methods and Materials for the research paper. After gathering the knowledge of formatting for my paper, I started to read online articles related to antibiotics resistance for several days. And finally, after spending time and effort, I came up with a rough draft. By now, I had the information that I needed, so I moved into the next step. In the next step, I did a re-write and organized everything in a more precise, audience-centered way, and also added APA format citations. After all this, I was able to complete my drafts and then shared them with my classmates through google drive. When I was done with my research paper, I had to write a well-informed speech presentation for my classmates regarding the recent studies and solution to the problem of antibiotics resistance. Working with my group, we came up with the presentation slides and then we did our presentation.

To sum up this collaborative assignment, I would say that I learned to work with a group, to do a scientific presentation, and understand how to write the Methods and Materials. All of this knowledge is valuable for me as a scientific researcher and I believe it will help me throughout my career in science.

In closing, I would say that this class has required a lot of hard work, but in the end, it rewards you much more than you expect. I believe writing all these assignments including the introductory letter, technical description paper, scientific controversy paper, and the collaborative research assignments have made me a more critical scientific writer and will ultimately serve my future career as a medical doctor. I have a pressing urge to learn more about science and hopefully one day I will reach the highest peaks of my field.