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Week |
Topics |
Suggested Readings |
In-class assignments |
Assignments |
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FEB 1 FEB 3 FEB 8 FEB 10 |
Thinking Science a. Pattern b. Critical thinking c. Subjectivity, objectivity and consensus d. The Scientific Method e. Observation f. The Research Question: getting an idea g. The Hypothesis h. Testing the hypothesis i. Reviewing the results j. Interpretation
Audience and Purpose a. Who is your audience? b. What is the purpose of your communication? c. What is their level of expertise? i. Lay audience ii. Operator iii. Technician iv. Management v. Expert vi. Sentence structure and audience vii. Diction and structure d. What is important?
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Chapter 1 ACS Chapter 1 WSCT Text from scientific literature assigned by instructor. |
Write and critique a summary of text from the primary scientific literature provided by your instructor. Discuss selected scientific texts for their purpose and audience from your assignment.
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DNA exercise - due Tuesday, Feb 8 journal audience analysis - Thursday, Feb 10
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FEB 15 FEB 17 FEB 22 |
The Language of Science a. Technical writing b. Objectivity and Tone c. Persona d. Analogy vs metaphor e. Terminology f. Fact, inference, opinion, judgment g. Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling and Word Usage h. Editorial Style Writing a Scientific Paper a. Getting Started b. Writing Style and Word Usage c. Components of a Paper i. Title ii. Byline and Affiliation iii. Abstract iv. Introduction v. Experimental Details or Theoretical Basis vi. Results vii. Discussion viii. Conclusions ix. Summary x. Acknowledgements xi. References xii. Special Sections xiii. Supporting Information
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Chapter 1 ACS Chapter 3,8 WSCT Selected scientific texts.
More writing tips: |
Analyze a paper from the primary literature for the elements discussed this week.
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Write and critique the abstract of a scientific paper. |
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FEB 24 MAR 1 |
Writing a Scientific Paper a. Getting Started b. Writing Style and Word Usage c. Components of a Paper i. Title ii. Byline and Affiliation iii. Abstract iv. Introduction v. Experimental Details or Theoretical Basis vi. Results vii. Discussion viii. Conclusions ix. Summary x. Acknowledgements xi. References xii. Special Sections xiii. Supporting Information |
Chapter 3 ACS Chapter 2 WSCT Chapter 1, 2, 27, 28 HWPSP Appendices HWPSP Scientific manuscripts of varying quality and content. Paper assigned from the primary literature. Instructions for group work will be handed out in class. Visit by Dr. Andi Stein on dishonesty and ethics. |
In a group of four people, discuss and analyze a manuscript provided by your instructor. Make a list of good points and bad points for each section of the paper. Make a consensus set of points for each section of the paper, from which your group will work.
Students read and come prepared to discuss ethical case studies handed out in class. |
Major assignment: In your group, following your consensus lists, rewrite the introduction of your assigned manuscript.
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MAR 3 MAR 8 MAR 10 MAR 15 MAR 17 MAR 22 MAR 24
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Writing a Scientific Paper a. Getting Started b. Writing Style and Word Usage c. Components of a Paper i. Title ii. Byline and Affiliation iii. Abstract iv. Introduction v. Experimental Details or Theoretical Basis vi. Results vii. Discussion viii. Conclusions ix. Summary x. Acknowledgements xi. References xii. Special Sections xiii. Supporting Information
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Chapter 1 ACS Chapter 4-6,10-12 WSCT Chapter 3-12 HWPSP
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Major assignment: In your group, following your consensus lists, rewrite the results section of your assigned manuscript. Major assignment: In your group, following your consensus lists, rewrite the discussion section of your assigned manuscript. Major assignment: Independently, rewrite the methods and abstract sections of your assigned manuscript. |
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APR 5 APR 7 APR 12 APR 14 |
Types of Presentations a. Articles b. Notes c. Communications d. Reviews e. Book Chapters f. Grant Proposals g. Records of Invention h. Technical Reports i. Popular media j. Posters k. Letters to the Editor l. Press Releases |
Chapter 1,2,3 ACS Chapter 20-22,24,25 HWPSP Chapter 5 PSI
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Write and peer-review a project summary for the research described in the article reviewed from the primary literature. http://www.nih.gov; http://www.nih.gov Read and review a grant proposal assigned by your instructor. Discuss. Prepare thee possible topics for your own grant proposal and select an appropriate agency for each. proposal guidelines (MSWord) proposal template (MSWord)
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Major assignment: Write an NSF or NIH style proposal
narrative, using the article reviewed from the primary
literature as the subject. forms: guidelines for reviewers (pdf) evaluation form (MSWord) |
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APR 19 APR 21 |
a. Element Symbols b. Atomic Numbers c. Atomic Weights
a. Manuscript conventions
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Chapter 5,6,7,8,9 ACS Chapter 7 WSCT Chapter 13,14 HWPSP Appendices HWPSP Data sample provided by instructor. Document assigned by instructor.
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Major assignment: Take one of the papers reviewed during week 2 and translate it into a style and language suitable for a layperson (such as a format comparable to “Popular Science”. DUE: APR 28
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APR 26 APR 28 |
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Chapter 10,11 ACS Chapter 17 HWPSP US Patents |
Read and review a patent assigned by your instructor. Discuss.
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Write an abstract and the claims for a patent on a topic.
This assignment has been eliminated. |
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MAY 3 MAY 5
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Chapter 12 ACS Chapter 18, 26 HWPSP Appendices ACS PSI Ethical case studies Manuscript ‘proof’ |
Effective oral presentations: discussion and examples of "good" PowerPoint
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| MAY 10 MAY 12 | Poster Presentations (based on written work) | Major assignments: Prepare a poster presentation and a short seminar on the topic of the article written in week 6. | ||
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MAY 17 MAY 19 |
Oral Presentations (based on written work) Students may be videotaped, so that they may view themselves later.
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Peer review posters. Peer review oral presentations. |
Major assignments: Make a poster presentation and give a short seminar on the topic of the article written in week 6. Peer-review. |
| MAY 26 | 12:00 - 2:00 PM EXAM period will be used for oral presentations. |