Welcome! HCOM 511: Writing about Health and Medicine
Jan 26, 2016
Welcome!
HCOM 511:Writing about Health and
Medicine
Today’s Class
Course Overview
Introductions
What does it mean to write well?– In class activity
This week’s homework
Course Overview
HCOM 511 - Writing about Health and Medicine
Designed to teach the skills necessary to write about health and medicine– Not a grammar review
Course Goal
Writers will have the skills needed to produce high-quality, accurate, readable written materials about health and medicine
Writers will have several high-quality “clips”
Course Design
Getting StartedResearch MethodsEvaluating Information and Presenting RiskDeconstructing an ArticlePlain Language and Health LiteracyEditing and EthicsEditor Guest LectureWrapping-UpCareer Panel
Textbooks
Health Writer’s Handbook, 2nd Ed.
Woe is I. The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English, second edition– Both available on Amazon.com (note both
are second editions)– Both are on reserve at the library
Class Time
Meet Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Class structured as– Homework return and review– Short lecture– In class activity– New homework assignment
Grading
Minimal-marking policy– Highlight lines that contain errors– Will try to distinguish between grammar
and style problems
Writers should• Pore over drafts with a “reader’s eye”• Use “Woe is I”• Keep lists of characteristic errors
Grading Scale
Organization – 2Grammar and Mechanics – 2Clarity and Style – 2Content and Accuracy – 2Bibliography – 2
10 points = A8 to 9 points = B6 to 7 points = C
Rewrites (to improve your workand grade) are encouraged!
A bit of philosophy:How is writing related to
critical thinking?*
*Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. John C. Bean. Jossey-Bass Publishers. San Fransisco. 1996
Writing is both a process of critical thinking and a product of communicating the results
of critical thinking
Writing and Critical Thinking
If writing is merely a communication skill, then we primarily ask of it,– Is the writing clear?
If writing is critical thinking, we ask– Is the writing interesting– Does it show a mind actively engaged with a problem– Does it bring something new to readers– Does it make an argument
Traditional Writing Instruction
Leads to a view of writing as a set of isolated skills unconnected to an authentic desire to converse with interested readers about real ideas
Introductions
Who Are You?
What is your writing experience?
What is your writing style (academic, scientific, business)?
Have you taken Epidemiology and Biostastics?
Quality Writing
Who writes about health and medicine?
Newspaper reporters
Magazine writers
Freelancers
Public information and public relations staff
Editors
Ad agency members
Broadcast media
Who else?
Types of Health Writing
Press releasesJournal articlesPatient materialsProposalsGrantsMagazine/newsletter articlesWhite paper/backgrounder
Newspapers
Project reports
What else?
What makes high-quality health writing?
Good health writing is at heart good writing.
How do you characterize good writing?
Good Writing Has…
Ideas that are interesting and important.
Organization that is logical and effective.
Voice that is individual and appropriate.
Word choice that is specific and memorable.
Sentence fluency that is smooth and expressive.
Conventions that are correct and communicative.
Activity
Break into pairs.Read a health article and indicate if it meets the criteria in the Good Health Writing Checklist. – Other person reads handouts on good writing.
Switch.Compare checklist and discuss what you liked/didn’t like about the health article.Report back to class.
Homework
Reading assignment– Gastel ch. 8
Writing assignment– Write a 750-word personal essay about
what brought you to Tufts – due by 5:30 pm, Jan. 28 by email