| Course title | Practical writing and communication in biology |
|---|---|
| Course code | KZO/108 |
| Organizational form of instruction | Lesson |
| Level of course | Doctoral |
| Year of study | not specified |
| Frequency of the course | In each academic year, in the summer semester. |
| Semester | Summer |
| Number of ECTS credits | 3 |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Status of course | Compulsory-optional |
| Form of instruction | Face-to-face |
| Work placements | This is not an internship |
| Recommended optional programme components | None |
| Lecturer(s) |
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| Course content |
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The course is structured into five blocks of six hours. During the first block, the students will introduce their PhD projects and their plans for publishing scientific articles, submitting grant proposals, and attending conferences during their PhD studies. This will be followed by a session on writing grant proposals. The students will get specific hints on how to write a successful proposal. The students are expected to use the gained knowledge to write a grant proposal which they will present at the end of the semester. The second block is focused on data management and data sharing as necessary attributes of good scientific practise. The students will modify their data in a form which could be shared in major online data portals. This will include preparing appropriate metadata so their published results would be replicable. The students will be also shown how to format their results into comprehensive figures and tables, increasing clarity of their scientific reports. The third block focuses on manuscript writing. The students will exercise improving a logical structure of scientific texts on provided samples or their own text. This will be followed by a practical tutorial on manuscript submission process, including hints on writing cover letters and preparing graphical abstracts. The fourth block focuses on discussing the goals that are necessary to achieve to start a successful scientific carrier. This session will focus both on the goals important to achieve during PhD studies and on writing successful proposals for post-doctoral projects. The final block is focused on evaluating the grant proposals prepared by students. The students will present their proposals, which will be evaluated by their peers and the lecturers. The aim is to prepare projects which could be later submitted as real grant proposals.
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| Learning activities and teaching methods |
Work with text (with textbook, with book), Activating (simulations, games, drama), Group work
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| Learning outcomes |
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The course will provide students with practical skills necessary for writing successful grant proposals and scientific text. The students will be shown how to manage and share their data in order to improve the clarity and impact of their work. These parts will be supplemented by sessions focused on discussing what objectives are important to achieve in order to start a successful scientific career. The course puts a strong emphasis on practical exercise with real data or text and open discussion with the students. The course is recommended for doctoral students of Entomology and Zoology programmes.
Students will gain practical experience with proposal and paper writing. |
| Prerequisites |
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General ability of working with scientific literature and basic computer programs (Microsoft Office or similar) is assumed. Students are required to actively use English.
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| Assessment methods and criteria |
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Student performance assessment, Interview, Systematic student observation
Regular and active participation at the practicals (minimal attendance is 80% of the practicals). The students are required to hand in a grant proposal that will be evaluated by the lecturers at the end of the course. |
| Recommended literature |
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| Study plans that include the course |
| Faculty | Study plan (Version) | Category of Branch/Specialization | Recommended semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Entomology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Entomology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Entomology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer |