Skip to content

Southern Fried Science

Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS

I’m offering a free online crash course in scientific writing and publishing. Here’s how to join!

Posted on August 26, 2025 By David Shiffman
Academic life, Exploration, Science

The world of scientific writing and pubilshing is complex and confusing, and it can be hard for early career scientists to master. But don’t worry! I am an experienced and award-winning scientific writer, reviewer, editor, and writing instructor, and I’m here to help!

I am offering a free online crash course in scientific writing and publishing, perfect for early career researchers interested in publishing for the first time. Here’s the information you need.

There is no charge for participation! I usually charge for professional deveopment workshops, but this one was already being offered and the client was happy to have me open it up to the broader scientific community. The more the merrier! All I ask is that if you find the course valuable and useful and the opportunity ever comes up to recommend me as a trainer to your institution or a colleague’s institution, consider doing that.

There are no prerequisites, and no preparation is required. This course assumes that you are an early career scientist (including but not lmited to students,) and that you have read some peer reviewed scientific journal articles, but you have not yet written one yourself. It starts at a very basic 101-level introduction and overview. Think about if you have any questions that have come up as you prepare to write your first paper, and think about if you’ve read any papers recently that you thought were exceptionally clearly written. That’s it.

The examples will focus on my professional world of marine conservation biology and ecology, but the lessons will be (mostly) broadly applicable to many disciplines of science. While some of what I say is specific to the (non-human-health) life sciences and interdisciplinary environmental sciences, most of it is universal across different fields of science.

The course is fully remote/virtual via Zoom, and will last for two hours. There will be some group discussions, and plenty of time for asking questions of me at the end, but a lot of it will be me lecturing. I ask that you please mute yourself if you’re not asking a question, and anyone being disruptive will be removed. 

There are two timeslots you can attend. You can just pick one. They are identical, just offered at different times of day. You don’t need to sign up, you don’t need to ask, and you don’t need to inform me, just come at the time that works best for you. If you cannot attend live, I will not be able to share a recording with you, so please don’t ask.

Timeslot 1: Wednesday September 10th, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. US East Coast time. Zoom link.

Timeslot 2: Friday, September 12, 3:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. US East Coast time. Zoom link.

Want to invite a student, colleague, or classmate? You are most welcome to do so! Just forward this information to them. You don’t need to ask me, and you don’t need to inform me. This class is open to anyone.

I’ll see you there!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon

Related

Post navigation

❮ Previous Post: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky:” Our new survey shows that scientists no longer find Twitter professionally useful or pleasant
Next Post: Help support a new shark science and conservation exhibit in Maryland! ❯

Recent Popular Posts

What Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryWhat Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryJuly 2, 2025David Shiffman
I can serve on your graduate thesis committee. Here’s what you can expect of me, and what I expect in return.I can serve on your graduate thesis committee. Here’s what you can expect of me, and what I expect in return.October 16, 2025David Shiffman
Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryShark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryAugust 10, 2014Michelle Jewell
At least 74 practicing shark researchers: How a silly thing I said online raised thousands for conservationAt least 74 practicing shark researchers: How a silly thing I said online raised thousands for conservationFebruary 26, 2025David Shiffman
What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?November 8, 2013David Shiffman
Mermaids: The New Evidence is a Fake DocumentaryMermaids: The New Evidence is a Fake DocumentaryMay 28, 2013Andrew Thaler
A quick and dirty guide to making custom feeds on BlueskyA quick and dirty guide to making custom feeds on BlueskyFebruary 7, 2024Andrew Thaler
What is a Sand Shark?What is a Sand Shark?November 12, 2017Chuck Bangley
"Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky:" Our new survey shows that scientists no longer find Twitter professionally useful or pleasant"Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky:" Our new survey shows that scientists no longer find Twitter professionally useful or pleasantAugust 19, 2025David Shiffman
Marine Biology Career AdviceMarine Biology Career AdviceMay 30, 2025David Shiffman
Subscribe to our RSS Feed for updates whenever new articles are published.

We recommend Feedly for RSS management. It's like Google Reader, except it still exists.

Southern Fried Science

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS


If you enjoy Southern Fried Science, consider contributing to our Patreon campaign.

Copyright © 2025 Southern Fried Science.

Theme: Oceanly Premium by ScriptsTown