Experimental Biology: Communications Intensive
This MIT OpenCourseWare offering is the writing-focused half of course 7.02, Experimental Biology and Communication, built for students who are simultaneously running the accompanying lab sequence. Rather than teaching biology content from scratch, it trains students to write like practicing scientists, focusing on the structure and conventions of the research article: abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections, and how each serves a distinct argumentative purpose. In-class and take-home writing exercises walk through drafting, peer review, and revision of lab reports based on the actual experiments run in 7.02's laboratory component, so the writing work doubles as a way to consolidate the underlying biology. Materials include assignment sheets, sample student papers, and instructor commentary on what separates a clear scientific narrative from a confusing one. There are no video lectures; this is a materials-based OCW course meant for self-study or use alongside an equivalent lab course. Suited to undergraduates who already have some lab experience and want to sharpen how they report it in writing.