SCIENTIFIC WRITING

Paper Code: 
HFN 422
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course Objectives:

This course will enable the students to –

 

  • Understand the nuances of scientific writing.
  • Gain an insight into ethics in scientific publication
  • Learn the process of developing a research proposal/ project proposal

Course Learning Outcomes (COs):

Course

Learning outcomes

(at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment

Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

 

 

 

 

 

HFN 422

Scientific Writing

(Theory)

 

 

 

 

 

The students will be able to –

 

COFN96:Demonstrate knowledge of scientific writing and produce clear and effective scientific documents

 

COFN97:Develop skills in collation and presentation of scientific information

 

COFN98: Develop a research design/project on a topic relevant to their field

 

 

Approach in teaching:

 

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Power Point Presentations, Informative videos, group discussion

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self learning assignments, Effective questions, presentations

 

 

Quiz, Poster Presentations,

Power Point Presentations, Individual and group projects,

Open Book Test, Semester End Examination, discussion, demonstration

 

 

 

 

9.00
Unit I: 
  • Key elements of scientific writing
  • Quality information
  • Nature of language
  • Structure
  • Characteristics of scientific writing
  • Clear and precise use of language
  • Accessibility to the intended audience
  • Correct information
  • Logical sequencing of information
  • Use of correct grammar
  • Appropriate use of technical terms, illustrations or diagrams
9.00
Unit II: 
  • Drafting a scientific document
  • Research the document
  • Gather information
  • Plan the format
  • Create an outline
  • Write first draft
  • Check the accuracy
  • Revise and amend the document
  • Type of academic journal articles
  • Letters/communications
  • Research notes
  • Articles
  • Supplemental articles
  • Review articles
9.00
Unit III: 
  • Writing effective scientific documents
  • Reports (Research/Progress)
  • Scientific paper (Journal/Conference)
  • Review paper
  • Abstracts
  • Theses
  • Electronic/Web based document
  •  
  • Elements of scientific documents
  • Sections/subsections
  • Headings/subheadings
  • Front matter (Title, Title page, Abstract, Table of contents, List of figures, List of tables, List of terms, Acknowledgements)
  • Body (Introduction, Review of literature, Methodology, Results, Discussions, Summary, Conclusion, Recommendations)
  • End Matter (References, Appendices, Indices)
12.00
Unit IV: 
  • Ethics and scientific publication
  • Permission
  • Data fabrication and falsification
  • Plagiarism
  • Redundant and duplicate publication
  • Conflict of interest
  • Authorship issues
  • Animal and human welfare concerns
  • Reviewer responsibility
  •  
  • Oral Presentation
  • Format of oral presentation (Informal/formal)
  • Visual aids – LCD projector, overhead projector (OHP) and transparencies or other display media
  • Delivery –  Voice projection, Body language, Spoken v. written language, Notes, Time limit
12.00
Unit V: 
  • Writing a project proposal for grants
  • Rationale and importance of research
  • Empirical and  Theoretical conceptualization
  • Presenting pilot study/ data
  • Research proposal and time frame
  • Clarity and specificity of method
  • Clear organization
  • Outcome of research and its implications
  • Budgeting
  • Available infrastructure and resources
  • Executive summary
Essential Readings: 
  1. Robert A. Day. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, 5th edition, Oryx Press, Phoenix, 1998.
  2. Martha Davis. Scientific Papers and Presentations. Academic Press. 1997
  3. Michael Alley. The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, Inc., 1996.
  4. Janice R. Matthews, John M. Bowen, Robert W. Matthews. Successful Scientific Writing: A Step-By-step Guide for the Biological and Medical Sciences, University Press, 2000.
  5. Peter J. Gosling. Scientist's Guide to Poster Presentations, Kluwer academic/Plenum publishers, 1999
  6. Edward Barrett, Leslie Perelman. The Mayfield Handbook of Technical and Scientific Writing, McGraw-Hill, 1997.
Academic Year: 
2019-2020
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