Writing scientific English for ESL learners (English second language), 3 credits
Vetenskapligt skrivande med engelska som andraspråk
Course information
Language of instruction: English
Course period: HT 2024
Course structure: On campus
Recommended prerequisites
Teknat PhD students who are currently writing a paper or thesis.
Learning outcomes
After the course, the student will be able to recognize:
1. The essential elements to include in each part of a scientific journal article
2. What constitutes good paragraph and sentence structure in English
3. How to construct the text for a logical flow
4. The roles of editors and reviewers
Learning outcomes for doctoral degree
Scientific papers, written in English, are an essential part of research. The doctoral degree requires several manuscripts and a thesis. However, many PhD students do not have English as their first language nor have they taken writing courses in their first language. This course teaches the structural elements of journal articles and theses. It practices writing skills and how to construct scientific arguments. It is taught with the viewpoint of non-native English speakers in mind.
Course contents
1. IMRAD, the most common (but not the only) structure for scientific journal articles: what to include and how
2. What makes a text easy to read? Improving readability
3. Hedge words and connector words: what they are and how to use them
4. Writing titles and abstracts that capture the target audience
5. Results and conclusions: not the same thing
6. The editorial and referee processes
7. Individual writing tutorials and peer feedback
Instruction
7 workshops (2 hours each) and one private tutorial (30 min) over 8 weeks
Assessment
Completion of the 14 writing assignments
Course examiner
Terese Bergfors, terese.bergfors@icm.uu.se
Department with main responsibility
Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology
Contact person
Terese Bergfors, terese.bergfors@icm.uu.se
Application
Submit the application for admission to: terese.bergfors@icm.uu.se
Submit the application not later than: Applications will be received until 1 September 2024 or until the course is full, whichever occurs first.