| Course ID: | FANR 8300-8300L. 3 hours. 2 hours lecture and 2 hours lab per week. |
| Course Title: | Scientific Communication in Forestry and Natural Resources |
Course
Description: | Preparation of scientific manuscripts for publication and presentation of papers at scientific conferences. Preparation of individual manuscripts, figures, and tables; writing with clarity, brevity, and word economy; dealing with journal editors and reviewers; reviewing and editing manuscripts; preparing proposals for funding; presentation of oral and poster papers at scientific conferences; and preparation of visual aids. |
| Oasis Title: | SCI COMM FOR AND NR |
| Duplicate Credit: | Not open to students with credit in FORS 8210-8210L |
Semester Course
Offered: | Offered fall semester every even-numbered year. |
| Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
| Course Objectives: | To help young scientists develop an advanced understanding of
and appreciation for the components of effective written and
oral scientific communication with a diverse group of
constituents, including peers, supervisors, administrators,
politicians, reporters, lawyers, and the lay public.
Students are not expected to depart the course with fully
developed advanced communication skills, as these skills evolve
gradually over the course of a career. Instead, this course
will provide students with a practical introduction to this
topic as well as hands-on experience with disseminating
research results at research conferences (i.e., giving oral
presentations) and in peer-reviewed scientific journals (i.e.,
writing, editing, reviewing, and responding to criticism) |
| Topical Outline: | Organizational Meeting / Course overview
Components of technical communication / Accuracy, Brevity, and
Clarity
Forms and functions of technical communication
Technical writing: organizing and preparing the draft
manuscript
Preparing the Abstract / Introduction
Preparing the Methods section / Description of the Study Area
Preparing the Results / Discussion section
Preparing the Acknowledgments / References or Literature Cited
Preparing the Tables / Appendices
Preparing the Figures / Computer software for preparation of
figures
Who should be an Author / Efficient use of your writing time
Searching the literature / How to use and cite the literature
Use of statistics in scientific reports
Common errors in spelling, grammar, style, and abbreviation
The ethics of scientific communication
Ethics - continued / Informal peer review before submission for
publication
Selection of an appropriate journal / Communication with an
international audience
Preparing the manuscript for submission / Submitting the
manuscript for publication
The publication process: editor’s perspective, role of
reviewers
/ Page proofs
You as reviewer...and as an editor
Scientific conferences...form and functions of presentations /
meeting attendance
Electronic Publishing
Special Cases: Request for Proposals, budgets, and study plans
Special Cases: Reporters, politicians, and you
Special Cases: Risk Communication: you and your public
Special Cases: Lawyers...and you as an expert witness
Special Cases: Job Interviews |