Writing Science
- Type: short course in the lifelong learning program at the Faculty of Sciences at Ghent University
- Lecturer: Dr. Danny Haelewaters
- Offered: 2024–2025, 2025–2026
- Semester: Fall and Spring
- Campus: Ledeganck
- Time: Six session, 27/04, 28/04, 29/04, 04/05, 05/05, 06/05, 17:00–19:00 CET
- Fee: 780 EUR for participants from the private sector (reduced prices apply to students and staff from non-profit, social profit, and government organizations)
More information and registration via the Science Academy
Description
In this course, students learn to think about scientific writing as storytelling. Every week, teacher and students will engage in group analysis, dissection, and editing of written work, both of previously published papers and own manuscript sections. Through writing exercises and peer review, students will learn about proper paper structures, effective figures and tables, power positions, and SUCCES elements.
Contents
- Scientific papers as stories
- Creating an outline
- Story structure and story elements
- IMRaD
- Paragraph structure
- Sentence structure
- Energizing writing
- Approaches to revising
- Dealing with AI in writing
Final competences
- Knowledge on theory about writing sentences, paragraphs, papers
- Ability to provide constructive criticism to colleagues (peer review)
- Ability to engage the reader
- Ability to apply SUCCES and OCAR concepts in writing manuscripts
- Write sections of a manuscript throughout the semester
Teaching methods
Lectures, group work, peer assessment, in-class discussions, independent work (written assignments and peer review). A typical class consists of three parts: lecture by the instructor, analysis of written work as a group, and writing exercises and peer group discussion.
Target audience
Recent graduates, PhD students, (short-term) visiting scholars, adults interested in R&D.
Textbooks
- Schimel J (2012) Writing Science: How to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded. Oxford University Press, New York, USA. 221 pp.
- Heard SB (2022) The Scientist’s Guide to Writing. Princeton University Press, New Jersey, USA. 368 pp.
PDFs of book chapters will be provided for assigned readings. Two copies of these textbooks can be borrowed from the instructor for those wo prefer physical books.
