Scientific Paper Writing (Group II) (Beginners)

Basics

Keywords:

Communication model; scientific storytelling; writing process; paper structure; non-native English writers

Introduction to the course topics:

Participants will be introduced into:

• The norms and conventions of scientific paper writing;
• The role of psychological factors in written communication;
• Methods of self-organisation during the writing process;
• Reader-oriented writing;
• Main steps of the publication process.

Course aims:

This workshop gives young scientists a systematic introduction into the standards of scientific paper writing in English and offers them a toolkit to master the process of writing. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the importance of aspects beyond the scientific validity of their contents
• Reflect on their own writing habits to increase their writing productivity
• Analyse and evaluate scientific publications critically
• Use diverse methods and tools to organise and prepare their scientific papers for publication
• Apply the revision skills necessary for the accomplishment of a writing project according to the stylistic conventions of scientific writing

Teaching methods:

• Balanced use of trainer input laying theoretical groundwork for paper writing and of plenum discussions, alternating with group work and peer review to put up a scaffolding for confident writing. Self-audit of participants. One-on-one consultation.

This course fits doctoral candidates in the following phase:

at the beginning of the doctorate

Participation requirements:

Active participation in all phases of the course from preparation to follow-up

Literature:

Gopen, G. D., Swan, J. A. (1990). The Science of Scientific Writing. American Scientist, 78:57-63. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org.eaccess.ub.tum.de/stable/29774235

Technical requirements:

none

Additonal information, notes:

Prior to the course, participants will be contacted by the trainer to answer preparatory questions and send
a writing sample for diagnostic purposes. Literature: Gopen, G. D., Swan, J. A. (1990). The Science of Scientific Writing. American Scientist, 78:57-63. URL: http://www.jstor.org.eaccess.ub.tum.de/stable/29774235

What participants say about this course:

• The lecturer was amazing. She showed us several new tools and explained in a clear way the topics. It was very motivational. I am totally satisfied with the course.
• I found the plan of the course to be well structured. The tips, examples and exercises given by the teacher were very helpful.

Information about the trainer:

Dr. phil. Aniko Balazs is an independent writing consultant with wide experience of facilitating scientific writing and communication. Her professional history has predestined her to build bridges between cultures and languages, as well as representatives of different academic disciplines. Prior to earning her PhD in comparative sociolinguistics, Aniko had graduated as a teacher of English and Russian language and literature and was then engaged as a translator and interpreter in medicine and computer science for English, Russian, German and Hungarian. Since the foundation of the TUM Graduate School in 2009, she has been training generations of doctoral candidates in regular in-house scientific writing courses and at kick-off seminars. As a freelance trainer, she offers workshops and courses on scientific and technical writing at diverse universities, academic research centres, doctoral colleges, for industrial partners, and also provides individual coaching in writing and editing.