Course Objective
To improve the writing and speaking skills of
scientists presenting science-related content to various
audiences.
In striving to achieve this objective, the course uses
- Lectures on various aspects of writing and speaking.
- Three papers and two talks by each class member.
- Audience of papers is non-science peers.
- Audience of talks is students in Physics 596.
- Class peer assessment: solely of the talks and partially of the
drafts of the papers.
-
Detailed, written, instructor comments on all assignments.
These extensive and rigorous comments are
not personal attacks but instead serious, constructive
suggestions for improvement.
Desired Skills:
For Papers and Talks
| Skill
| Comment
|
| Can define topic for particular audience
| Find a limited subject.
Develop a point of view.
|
| Can find useful references/illustrations
| In library and on web.
|
| Can write sentence outline
| Each sentence is a topic sentence.
This approach can greatly speed up writing process.
|
|
For Papers
|
For Talks
|
| Each topic sentence is point of one paragraph.
| Each topic sentence is point of one viewgraph.
|
| Can write paragraph to develop topic-sentence's point.
| Can organize viewgraph to explain viewgraph's point.
|
| Can use criticism to improve the draft.
| By practicing the talk can learn to improve it.
|
| Can effectively critique others: both finding flaws and offering
constructive suggestions.
| Can see how criticism of others could be applied to own talk.
|
Your comments and
suggestions are appreciated.
Want to print this page? Use " target="_blank">this version.
Created by: wilkins@mps.ohio-state.edu
Modified by: perry@mps.ohio-state.edu on