INSTRUCTOR: Mark Eberle, AH 424, meberle@fhsu.edu, 785-628-5264.

CLASS TIMES: BIOL 825 -- Monday and Friday, 8:30-9:20.

CLASSROOM: Albertson Hall 321 (Biology Computer Lab).

TEXTS: R. A. Day.  1995.  Scientific English: A Guide for Scientists and Other Professionals,
                        2^nd edition.  Oryx Press, Phoenix, Arizona (now owned by Greenwood Publishing Group,
                        Westport, Connecticut).  148 pages.
                R. A. Day and B. Gastel.  2006.  How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, 6^th edition.
                        Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport, Connecticut.  302 pages.
                A. J. Friedland and C. L. Folt.  2000.  Writing Successful Science Proposals.
                        Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut.  171 pages.
                Recommended reference: D. Hacker.  2007.  A Writer's Reference, 6^th edition.
                        Bedford/St. Martin's, Boston, Massachusetts.  544 pages.
                FHSU thesis guidelines: http://www.fhsu.edu/gradschl/thesis-guidelines.shtml
                Essay on plagiarism, misrepresentation, and proper paraphrasing:
                        http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/Eberle/PlagiarismMisrepresentation.pdf
                Some notes and assignments will be provided through this website, which will be
                        updated occasionally during the semester.

CREDIT HOURS: 2 credit hours.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Techniques and methods of writing scientific papers.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Teach students basic grammar from a scientific perspective to help them construct clear, concise, grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs.
• Teach students how to conduct effective literature searches.
• Teach students how to prepare thesis and grant proposals.
• Teach students general aspects of how to conduct research.
• Teach students how to summarize their research in the IMRaD format in a clear, concise, well organized thesis or journal article.
• Teach students about the process of peer review in scientific literature.
• Teach students how to prepare a curriculum vitae.

COURSE CONTENT:

• Scientific writing style
• Scientific English
• Literature searches
• Thesis and grant proposals
• Theses and publications
• IMRaD format
• Word processing
• Editing
• Publication process
• Participation in scientific organizations

REQUISITES: Permission of the instructor; graduate students only.

LINKS: Class notes and assignments.

Lecture Notes: Getting Started in Graduate School
Lecture Notes: Scientific Writing and Grammar
Lecture Notes: Writing Proposals
Lecture Notes: IMRaD Format and Publication Process