A young male scientist sitting at a desk working and reviewing a paper

Writing and Publishing a Review Paper: 2nd Edition

For researchers in the natural sciences looking to build or refine their review writing skills

With insights from seven experts in reviews, including four Nature Portfolio Chief Editors

4 hours of learning 

5-25-minute lessons

17-lesson course with certificate

About this course

Review papers are critical for advancing scientific knowledge. They bring together recent literature and provide critical analysis on specific topics, helping researchers explore future directions and challenges in the field. Writing and publishing a review paper is a powerful way to grow as a researcher by establishing expertise and opening networking opportunities.

In this course, you will learn approaches, techniques and skills important for writing a strong review paper as you are guided through the writing and publishing process.  

This is the second edition of our highly popular ‘Writing and Publishing a Review Paper’ course. We recommend you take this updated version. If you have already started the previous version of this course, you can still complete it and get your certificate.


What you'll learn

  • Build the foundations of a strong review paper by identifying the motivation, refining the audience and choosing the writing team 
  • Select, evaluate and synthesise primary literature efficiently
  • Apply scientific writing principles to construct an engaging and informative review paper
  • Identify and create effective display items that will add value 
  • Navigate the submission process for both solicited and unsolicited reviews

The benefits of this new 2nd edition

  • Restructured content for a better learning experience
  • Enriched content with extensive real-world examples
  • 'Apply what you've learned' activities that empower you to transfer knowledge into practice
  • Bite-sized lessons per topic to fit busy schedules

The course

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0. About the course

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1. What are review papers?

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2. Why publish a review paper?

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3. What makes a great review paper?

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4. Editors’ favourite review papers

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5. Build the foundation

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6. The outline

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7. Plan the written content of your review

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8. Select your primary literature

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9. Identify your display items

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10. Choose your journal

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11. Write a compelling cover letter

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12. Mechanics of writing a review

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13. Write your review

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14. Prepare for submission

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15. Publish your review

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16. Frequently asked questions

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17. Key takeaways

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Writing and Publishing a Review Paper: 2nd Edition: Free Sample

Video

Why should you take 'Writing and Publishing a Review Paper: 2nd Edition'?

Developed with experts in scientific reviews

The course was developed and refined by an international panel of academics, editors and experts in writing review papers. 

Meet the expert panel that have helped shape and refine the content of the course:

Annette Fenner

Chief Editor, Nature Reviews Urology

Huan-Xiang Zhou

Professor of Chemistry and Physics, University of Illinois Chicago

Giulia Pacchioni

Chief Editor, Nature Reviews Materials

Pep Pàmies

Chief Editor, Nature Biomedical Engineering

Advice from experienced science editors and researchers

The course contains additional insights from other experts in scientific reviews:

Olga Bubnova

Chief Editor, Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering

Shabir Barzanjeh

Associate Professor in Quantum Physics, University of Calgary

Aamir Iqbal

Postdoctoral Researcher, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)

Discover related courses

Writing a Research Paper: 2nd Edition

Learn the detailed processes of writing a research paper 

Publishing a Research Paper: 2nd Edition

Learn about the publication process and the things you need to consider

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