Workshop: Scientific writing

Date & Time: May 31, June 1-2; 9am - 6pm (each day)

Description:

In science, publications are a crucial element of success. Being able to write your own papers independently, rapidly and to a high professional standard as a PhD student or post doc is a key skill that will be invaluable to you throughout your career. Structural and linguistic challenges. How do I find the best structure for each section of a paper? What is the correct grammatical form for citing literature or describing experiments? What is the right level of language and how does that vary in different parts of the paper? How do I manipulate the English language to be clear, to be persuasive or to be careful? Learning objectives. This intensive workshop about writing a scientific paper involves analysis of good and bad examples from the literature and detailed feedback on writing tasks performed both individually and as teamwork. At the end of the course participants will have written and received feedback on each section of a paper. They will have a “reference toolbox” of structure, syntax and vocabulary for each part of the paper.  Participants will also gain skills in speed-reading, fast and effective planning, and writing scientific English to a fully professional standard.

After the course, participants can:
• Identify the structures and vocabulary in scientific articles that are appropriate for the different parts of the document (results, introduction, discussion and abstract).
• Use the correct structure and vocabulary to write the results, introduction, discussion and abstract of a scientific document.
• Give constructive feedback on structure and language in written texts of others in the group.
• Explain the concepts of register, packaging language and structure for different parts of a scientific document.

Course contents:
Day 1 The Results Section
• General introduction to the course. Writing challenges, elements of good writing.
• Results section: Structure, grammar and vocabulary
• Analysis of examples from the literature
• Results: Writing exercises and feedback
Day 2 The Introduction
• Structure, grammar and vocabulary
• Analysis of examples from the literature
• Correct form for citing literature
• Introduction: Writing exercises and feedback
Day 3 The Discussion
• Structure, grammar and vocabulary
• Analysis of examples from the literature
• Discussion: Writing exercise and feedback
          The Abstract
• Structure, grammar and vocabulary
• Analysis of examples from the literature
• Abstract: Writing exercise and feedback

Instructor: Leonie Ringrose

Registration: If you are interested in participating, please ask your local coordinator for the money budget. If you have the "OK", please register at IMPRS-IDI office (imprs-office@mpiib-berlin.mpg.de).