From Research to Publication: A Step-by-Step Guide to Technical Writing Course Program

Learners will be exposed to writing methods, expectations, and traditions used for creating technical, scientific journal articles, or reports in English. The course provides deep overviews, discussing the traditional format and expectations of a technical or scientific article, such as for IEEE journals.

  • 0.8 CEU / 8 PDH credits
  • Launched 2025
  • 8 courses
  • 8 hours

Course Description

In this course program, provided in collaboration with the IEEE Professional Communication Society, learners will be exposed to writing methods, expectations, and traditions used for creating technical, scientific journal articles, or reports in English. The course provides deep overviews, discussing the traditional format and expectations of a technical or scientific article, such as for IEEE journals. Participants will be provided with a plethora of additional materials to further hone their skills beyond the introduction in this course, including ways to use Generative AI to the best advantage.

Course Objectives

  • Techniques for writing and editing technical English
  • Organizing and troubleshooting within the writing process
  • Understand what a technical or scientific paper is and is not
  • Ability to see a research or technical article’s predictable patterns of communication
  • Comprehend the pattern of ILMRaDC for research and technical papers (Intro, Lit Review, Methods, Results, and Discussion/Conclusions)
  • Understand issues of authorship and team authorship
  • How to curate your own professional voice
  • Identify a promising research question to research
  • Curate list possible publishing houses, journals, or other reputable homes for the work

Authors and Instructors

Traci Nathans-Kelly PhD

Professor in Cornell University's College of Engineering in the Engineering Communications Program

Traci Nathans-Kelly, PhD, currently teaches in Cornell University’s College of Engineering in the Engineering Communications Program. Previously, she worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Engineering in the Technical Communication program. She teaches technical/engineering communication, technical/engineering presentations, technical editing, writing user manuals, and other topics. She also served Wiley-IEEE Press as the series editor for the Engineering Professional Communication line and as the IEEE Press Liaison for the IEEE Professional Communication Society. Inside IEEE, she serves on the Educational Activities Board in the Continuing Education division. She has worked with practicing professional engineers, technical experts, scientists, and related field experts for over 20 years, helping them to strengthen their abilities to become impactful contributors in their organizations. She has conducted workshops and training for such entities as The Boeing Company, Flad Architects, IEEE-USA, Wolters Kluwer, and a host of others. In the past, she has trained practicing engineers and technical experts at AT&T, CN Railroad, FedEx, GE, Google, Harley Davidson, IBM, Intel, John Deere, Johnson Controls, Kohler, Kraft, Lockheed Martin, Medtronic, Mercury Marine, Motorola, NASA, Ocean Spray, Sanofi Pasteur, Sirius, SkullCandy, US Bureau of Indian Affairs, the US Department of Defense, the US Army, the US National Security Agency, the US Navy/Nuclear Submarines Development Unit, and many more.