Communication for Research Scientists

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2013:

120 hours

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

As a scientist, it is not only important to be able to experiment, research and discover, it is also vital that you can communicate your research effectively in a variety of ways. Even the most brilliant research is wasted if no one knows it has been done or if your target audience is unable to understand it.

In this subject you will develop your written and oral communication skills to ensure that you communicate your science as effectively as possible. We will cover effective science writing and oral presentations across a number of formats: writing a thesis; preparing, submitting and publishing journal papers; searching for, evaluating and citing appropriate references; peer review, making the most of conferences; applying for grants and jobs; and working with the media to publicise your research.

You will have multiple opportunities to practice, receive feedback and improve both your oral and written communication skills.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• articulate the range of ways in which research scientists communicate their work;
• identify the common features of effective communication in written and oral forms;
• understand the nature of different outputs for scientific research;
• effectively write (and appropriately format) different types of written documents (e.g. abstract, lay summary, manuscript);
• locate, critically evaluate and cite relevant references;
• prepare a poster or oral presentation for a conference;
• have some insight into the most effective ways for journalists and scientists to work together;
• provide constructive feedback to other students on their communication skills (both written and oral).

Attendance and participation in class discussions (10%).
First written task: 100-word ARC-style lay summary about your research, due week 3 (10%).
Second written task: 300-word abstract about your research, due week 5 (15%).
Third written task: 1500-word letter to Nature and 1000-word short communication for a discipline-specific journal. As part of the task, students will peer review each others’ work. Initial submission for peer review due week 7, final submission due week 11 (35%).
Oral presentation: 10-minute conference-style spoken presentation, due week 12 (30%).

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On the completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Communicate effectively in both written and oral forms.
• Read critically.
• Use the library, online information and other resources effectively.
• Plan work, use time effectively and meet deadlines.
• Reflect on their own communication skills