Scientific Writing Workshop - 8 weeks

8 weeks

Keywords:

Scientific writing, overcome writer`s block, efficient writing strategies, make progress with ongoing writing projects

Introduction to the course topics:

When writing a paper or thesis, doctoral candidates often face several challenges. Amongst others, scientific texts have to address the target readership, be structured strictly and logically, and be written in a precise and concise style. The complexity of such a writing project can be overwhelming, leading to lack of motivation and enhanced procrastination - especially when writing alone, as an isolated author.

In this 8-week online workshop you will have plenty of opportunity to work with your own text, make progress with your manuscript and profit from the exchange with fellow writers and mutual text feedback. Moreover, we will address different components of the scientific writing process, i.e. efficient planning and writing strategies, techniques for adequate application of scientific style- and structure conventions, and efficient revision and feedback strategies. In addition, you will be able to reflect and improve your individual strategy to avoid writer´s block and to optimize the writing process.

Course aims:

• Participants proceed significantly with their ongoing individual writing projects.
• Participants know strategies for efficient planning of scientific manuscripts
• Participants are able to identify structure and style conventions in scientific publications and know strategies to apply them to their own texts
• Participants know how to optimize their individual writing skills and how to avoid writer`s block.
• Participants know criteria for successful publishing.

Teaching methods:

• Short presentations for the introduction of new topics
• Writing exercises, which can be conducted with focus on individual ongoing writing projects
• Group exercises
• Reflection of exercises
• Setting weekly writing goals and reflection of goals
• Discussions
• Discussion of individual questions
• Mutual text feedback
• Group discussions/ exercises via Zoom Breakout Rooms
• Digital pinboard: Padlet for exchange of documents and information

This course fits doctoral candidates in the following phase:

during the doctorate │ at the end of their doctorate

Participation requirements: This 8-week online workshop specifically addresses doctoral candidates who are currently starting, or are currently working on a writing project. Participants will benefit most from the workshop, if they have an upcoming or ongoing writing project (e.g. paper or thesis) and are able to make time for working on their individual manuscripts in between the online sessions.

Technical requirements:

Laptop/tablet with stable internet connection, microphone, webcam, Zoom (in most cases)

Additonal information, notes:

Content:

4 Units / 1 Unit per week during week 1/2/3/8

1. Efficient planning and structuring of scientific texts
2. Getting started: writing drafts and overcoming writer`s block
3. Revision of scientific texts / Scientific style convention
4. Feedback / Publishing process

This 8-week writing workshop is equivalent to our 4-weeks version. Difference: Within the 8-week version, participants have more time in between the sessions to make progress with their individual writing projects. Additionally to the online sessions, one session is going to be held in person.