This course covers the essential vehicles for the communication of scientific ideas: journal articles and conference presentations. Students
will learn about different formats of journal articles and presentations, such as Original Research Article, Review Article, Poster, Short Talk, and Plenary Talk. Effective means of structuring, writing, and delivering a paper or talk will be discussed and practiced in individual and group exercises and through homework assignments. An introduction to the editorial process is given.
This course is designed to teach senior Biophysics (or any natural science) majors how to communicate scientific ideas and results effectively in a professional setting. This is a key skill for any aspiring scientist and prepares the students effectively for graduate school where they will likely have to present their work at national and international scientific meetings and write several original research articles.
Course Requirements:
Grades will be based on the term paper (a mini-review in the format of a Nature News and Views article) and homework assignments.
Intended Audience:
Senior-year biophysics/natural science majors; first-year graduate students with a need for these skills.
Class Format:
The class will meet for two hours, once per week in a lecture format.