Time Schedule:
Kerrie L Kephart
HCDE 509
Seattle Campus
Examination of principles and practice of writing research manuscripts, articles, abstracts, and oral presentations. Detailed examination of scientific publication process includes issues of style, organization, and ethics. Students draft, critique, and revise their own manuscripts and learn to review the manuscripts of others. Offered: Sp.
Class description
Examination of principles and practice of writing research manuscripts, articles, abstracts, and oral presentations. Detailed examination of scientific publication process, including issues of style, organization and ethics. Students draft, critique, and revise their own manuscripts and learn by reviewing the manuscripts of others in a workshop setting.
Student learning goals
Understand the process of writing and publishing in science and engineering
Clarify the focus of an article and define its thesis
Identify and analyze appropriate journals for publication, and analyze the audiences for such journals
Analyze and practice writing the elements of scientific articles (abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion)
Review, synthesize, and cite background literature
Become familiar with effective scientific/engineering style and language usage
General method of instruction
Each class period will consist of lecture/discussion and activities designed to help you develop your awareness of elements of research articles and of scientific/engineering style. You will also meet regularly during class time with a group of your peers to read and critique each other’s writing in a workshop format. You will develop your research manuscript through completion of several writing assignments.
Recommended preparation
The course is most helpful and appropriate for graduate students in scientific and engineering fields who are preparing their first manuscripts for publication or beginning work on their thesis or dissertation. As such, it best if you have already begun to collect and analyze data.
Class assignments and grading
You will complete the following graded assignments: Elevator Pitch (1.5-2 mins.) Research statement (1 page) Analysis of target journal and article (1-2 pages) Analysis of scientific style (2-3 pages) Peer review & critique of research manuscript (1 page) Draft of research manuscript + letter of submission Revised draft of research manuscript
Grading is on a 4.0-scale with points assigned to each of the graded assignments. Students are generally awarded full points for completing each assignment satisfactorily.
