Course Description:
This course will cover several key areas of scientific communication that are a crucial element to a successful career in any scientific discipline. We begin with the basic principles of written and verbal communication before progressing into scientific writing style and composition. This foundation will be used to apply the principles to writing research papers, review articles, grant proposals, research statements, and résumés, as well as to the preparation of academic presentations and posters.
Primary Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Apply basic writing mechanics to manuscript planning and organizational strategies.
- Practice composing scientific documents and presentations.
- Learn common mistakes to avoid when practicing scientific and academic writing.
- Review and apply style and composition principles to their writing.
- Learn the anatomy and practice the composition of common scientific writing formats such as the literature review, the manuscript, and the grant proposal.
- Practice revision of scientific manuscripts and grant proposals.
- Learn the process of grant application, from letter of inquiry to proposal revision, submission, and final reporting.
- Practice effective presentation and public speaking for scientific and academic purposes.