Revising Scientific Manuscripts
Course description
Communicating data and ideas through scientific manuscripts, such as research articles, review articles, and grant applications, is integral to our profession. The goal of this course is to help participants improve their ability to revise their own and others’ scientific manuscripts. Students must be actively engaged as the sole or lead author of a scientific manuscript at the time the course is offered. In the course, brief lectures and writing exercises will be combined with in-depth discussions of each student’s manuscript. Students will walk away with an understanding of common pitfalls and strategies for improving a manuscript draft, practical strategies for providing clear and constructive feedback to co-authors or others, and comments on their manuscripts from other students and the instructor. As part of the course, we will also discuss the potential benefits and downsides of using AI in the manuscript writing process, and journal requirements for reporting use of AI.
Course objectives
Learn revision strategies to improve your own manuscript.
Practice revising and providing feedback on manuscripts from other students.
Develop skills in giving and receiving clear and constructive feedback to/from co-authors.
Understand the impacts of AI in the manuscript writing process, including journal requirements.
Session dates, times, and location
Day 1: June 24th, 9:30-12:00
Day 2: June 27th, 9:30-12:00
Room: TBD
Milestone credit
In order to receive a Milestone, students must:
Attended both sessions for the entire time.
Spend 3 hours outside of class reading and commenting on others’ manuscripts between days 1 and 2.
Complete a course evaluation final survey.
More information about Milestone Credit can be found here.
Course Team
Course director/instructor
Stephanie Mohr, PhD
Lecturer on Genetics
Harvard Genetics Department
stephanie_mohr@hms.harvard.edu
Stephanie has more than twenty-five years of experience writing and revising scientific manuscripts. She is also the author of First in Fly: Drosophila Research and Biological Discovery (Harvard University Press).
Curriculum Fellow
Lorenzo Gesuita, PhD
Lecturer on Genetics
Harvard Genetics Department
Lorenzo_Gesuita@hms.harvard.edu
Enrollment limit
A maximum of 8 students will be allowed. Priority will be given to Harvard graduate students taking the course for credit. Harvard Postdocs can register too, and they will be granted access to the course as space allows.
Registration link & deadline
Please register using this link by Friday, June 1st, 2025
https://hms.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aWVbWhmzK8IUa1g
To participate in this course, you need to be actively writing a manuscript before the start of the course. This could be a research article, review article, book chapter, thesis chapter, or grant application.
Manuscripts will be treated as confidential by the instructor. Students will likewise be asked to keep the manuscripts confidential. Nevertheless, students should discuss participation with their PI prior to applying.
Please be prepared to provide the following during registration:
An attestation that you will submit 5 pages of an early draft of your scientific manuscript 2 weeks before the start of the course.
Your name, role, and affiliation.
An attestation confirming that you have informed your PI and that they understand your interest in participating and the design of the course.
An attestation that AI has not yet been used as part of the writing or revising process.
The type of scientific manuscript, e.g., research article, review article, book chapter, thesis chapter, or grant application.
The approximate final number of expected co-authors, if any.
The due date, deadline, or anticipated submission date for the manuscript.