Scientific writing and presentation, 7.5 credits

Aim

This course provides graduate students with skills and knowledge in scientific writing and oral presentation of scientific studies. The course is mandatory for all graduate students registered for a Ph.D. or licentiate degree in the faculty for Natural Science, Media and Technology at Mid Sweden University. The course addresses the following areas: the scientific writing process, literature search and review, the publishing process and the peer-review process of scientific writing, and oral and poster presentations.

Course objectives

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in different approaches to presenting and representing empirical results based on qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods studies.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in the publishing and peer review processes of scientific articles and conference papers
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in scientific writing
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in oral and poster presentations of scientific findings

Content

Literature review and search
• State of the art and the use of theory
• Connection to own paper
• Database search

The Publishing Process
• The purpose and intent of scientific writing
• The need to publish research findings
• From concept to publication
• Selecting scientific journals and conferences (including impact factor)
• Authorship, copyright, open access

The Scientific Writing Process
• Writing and editing: pre-work, drafts, revising, and improving
• Structure of the scientific paper
• Presenting results visually
• Language and grammar
• Writing from the reader

Scientific Review Process
• Peer-review
• Criteria for publishing including significance and novelty
• Quality criteria for publishing: scientific methods, reproducibility, references, structure, grammar and language
• Ethics, including plagiarism, conflict of interest, parallel submission

Oral Presentations and Poster Presentations
• Format and delivery of power-point presentations
• Format and delivery of Poster presentations

Entry requirements

A person meets the entry requirements for the course if he or she has been admitted to a third-cycle study programme and will be given credit for the course in that study programme.
(Äldre gymnasiebetyg)

Selection rules and procedures

The selection process is in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance and the local order of admission.

Teaching form

The course is offered in English and based on a seminar format that combines lectures, group dialogue, and peer-coaching. Students are expected to participate in all seminars and contribute to the dialogues having read the mandatory literature. As well, students will complete several written assignments based on their own research, and serve as peer reviewers of the scientific papers. All assignments, both oral and written should be completed in English. To support learning during the course, students will be paired in Writing-Dialogue teams of two. The teams will serve to support reflection and exploration of the literature and provide feedback to one another as you continue to develop your texts.

Examination form

Examination is based on the following:
• Active participation in at least 75% of the seminars
• Completion of all assignments
• Development and improvement of one’s own scientific text
• Written and oral peer-review of another student’s text
• Paper presentation using PPT (15-20 minutes)
• One-minute poster presentation

Grading system

Fail (U) or Pass (G)