Why this course?

In this course, we will focus on the importance of scientific discourse and how to properly engage other researchers with your findings: i.e. the communication of science. As scientific researchers, you amass and analyze data, synthesize the results, and consider their meaning. For other researchers to appreciate the importance of this work, you must also learn how to effectively engage your audience to help them understand what you’ve done and why it’s so important.  During this course, you will learn more about and practice with various modes of science communication (the research article, conference talk, science poster, etc.), so you can ensure that your message comes across clearly.

While some of the principles we will discuss are universally applicable, we will also focus on the expectations within your specific discipline. Whether you are creating text, speaking, or making a visual, we will focus on conveying clear messages by consistently considering the audience’s perspective, especially a more multidisciplinary crowd. What do they know already and why should they care about your contribution? Furthermore, we’ll show you where there’s room to stretch and grow: where and how you can optimize your writing process, improve your understanding of the expectations of the scientific writing genre, and expand your English language competency.

Format

This is a tailor-made course (tailored to the students and their learning objectives), which uses classroom instruction, peer review, short assignments, digital resources, and individual tutorials (where desired). Throughout the course, you will produce new material to directly apply what you have learned to your research. Topics covered include: 

• Writing up your research for publication and using the writing to help you with that process: structure and purposes of a scientific article, clarity, cohesion and coherence, and writing for the reader;
• Presenting your research to an international audience: interaction, structure, intonation, pronunciation, and visuals; and
• Getting your audience's attention with your poster: pitching the poster, using visuals well, and creating the right balance of information.

Before the first session, all participants are kindly requested to submit a short audio or video clip of themselves as an introduction, including a brief overview of their research, their experience with writing and presenting in English, and their specific learning objectives for this course. This file (avi, mp3, mp4) is due approximately one week before the course begins.