Writing the Science Thesis
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ENC 4454:
Writing the Science Thesis
Course Description Theses must include evidence of broad disciplinary learning, usually manifested in longer, more richly written introductions; however, research professors also want publishable articles made of student data. This class teaches both, creating a bridge between academic tradition and real- world science publishing practice. In this course students will examine the relationship between science and writing, and explore how publishing writing is inseparable from scientific research: "Reading and writing scientific literature is an indispensable part of a scientist's work. Specifically, scientific literature is arguably the most important communication channel within the scientific community, making available for practitioners the collective wisdom and knowledge of the community" (Ben-David Kokikant, Gatchell, Hirsch, Linsenmeier, 2006, 20). We will take the approach that writing is a skill that can be learned and a process which can be managed. We will also treat writing as a product which connects a writer and a reader, so we will consider audiences and what they might expect from a scientific article.
Instructor Mickey S Schafer, PhD, Senior Lecturer, University Writing Program Office: MWF, 201 Rolfs Hall (352-273-2743) // T/TH, 302 Tigert Hall (352-846-1138) Email: [email protected]
Outcomes By the end of ENC 4454, students will be able to Identify the function and organization of each section of a data-driven research report Understand writing as a recursive process that can be broken down into manageable tasks Collaborate with peers to produce clear prose that communicates science information to multiple audiences Incorporate digital tools into their workflow Present and defend their data orally through presentations and peer review Produce a scholarly text (the thesis) and understand which parts are appropriate for science publication (the research report).
Required Texts There are no required textbooks for this class. Readings are available electronically via the open access web, with author’s permission, or through a UF library subscription. The Reading List is as follows: 2
Reading #1: 5 Qualities Required to be a Scientist Reading #2: Narrative vs. Evidence Based Medicine Reading #3: The Message Reigns over the Medium Reading #4: Why Current Publication Practices May Distort Science Reading #5: Science 2.0: You Say You Want a Revolution? Reading #6: The Science of Scientific Writing Reading #7: In Praise of Peer Review Reading #8: How to Write a Thesis Reading #9: Research intelligence - Rip it up and start again
Assignments and Grading Students write a literature review, thesis, publishable paper, and poster of their research. Blog posts and wikis are used as pre-writing strategies. All major writing assignments are divided into smaller chunks, with time for revision before creating a final version.
Assignment Value
Annotated Bibliography – (1000 words) 100
Review Paper – (2000 words) 125
Thesis Introduction -- Draft 70
Thesis Method -- Draft 50
Thesis Results -- Draft 50
Thesis Discussion -- Draft 80
Thesis – Final (3000 words) 175
Publishable Paper – Final (500 words for revised, 150 journal-appropriate introduction)
Poster Presentation 100
Digital Life/e-Homework (500 words) 100
TOTAL 1000 3
Grading for this course is rigorous. Successful assignments will demonstrate understanding and practice of professional writing as it occurs in published work. Students are expected to follow the conventions of their disciplines as laid out in “author guidelines” found in the major scholarly publications in their fields and/or mandated by their departments.
Grading Scale
A 4.0 93-100 930-1000 C 2.0 73-76 730-769 A- 3.67 90-92 900-929 C- 1.67 70-72 700-729 B+ 3.33 87-89 870-899 D+ 1.33 67-69 670-699 B 3.0 83-86 830-869 D 1.0 63-66 630-669 B- 2.67 80-82 800-829 D- 0.67 60-62 600-629 C+ 2.33 77-79 770-799 E 0.00 0-59 0-599
Writing Assessment Rubric
SATISFACTORY (Y) UNSATISFACTORY (N) Papers exhibit evidence of ideas that Papers either include a central respond to the topic with complexity, idea(s) that is unclear or off- topic critically evaluating and synthesizing or provide only minimal or CONTENT sources, and provide an adequate inadequate discussion of ideas. discussion with basic understanding of Papers may also lack sufficient or sources. appropriate sources. Documents and paragraphs lack Documents and paragraphs clearly identifiable organization, ORGANIZATION exhibit identifiable structure for may lack any coherent sense of AND COHERENCE topics, including a clear thesis logic in associating and organizing statement and topic sentences. ideas, and may also lack transitions and coherence to guide the reader. Documents use persuasive and confident presentation of ideas, Documents make only weak strongly supported with evidence. At generalizations, providing little or ARGUMENT AND the weak end of the satisfactory range, no support, as in summaries or SUPPORT documents may provide only narratives that fail to provide critical generalized discussion of ideas or may analysis. provide adequate discussion but rely on weak support for arguments. Documents rely on word usage that Documents use a writing style with is inappropriate for the context, word choice appropriate to the genre, or discipline. Sentences may STYLE context, genre, and discipline. be overly long or short with Sentences should display complexity awkward construction. Documents and logical structure. may also use words incorrectly. MECHANICS Papers will feature correct or error- Papers contain so many mechanical free presentation of ideas. At the weak or grammatical errors that they 4
end of the satisfactory range, papers may contain a few spelling, impede the reader’s understanding punctuation, or grammatical errors or severely undermine the writer’s that remain unobtrusive and do not credibility. obscure the paper’s argument or points.
Course Schedule
Week 1 Course Introduction o Read the "Welcome..." entry in Dr. Schafer’s Sakai Blog o Reading #1: 5 Qualities Required to be a Scientist o Introduce your Research (Blog Post #1: submit to your Sakai Blog )
Thursday e-Homework o Reading #2: Narrative vs Evidence Based Medicine -- And, not Or -- JAMA o Reading #3: The Message Reigns over the Medium -- Scientific American Blog, “EvoEco” o Read Blog submissions by classmates -- respond to two entries by next Thursday
Week 2 Review Paper / Annotated Bibliography Assignment / Setting up your Wiki page o Read Sakai Wiki link o Reading #4: Why Current publication practice may distort science o Reading #5: Science 2.0 So you say you want a revolution? o Post 2 annotations to Wiki by next Tuesday, class time
Thursday e-Homework: o Explore and subscribe to 2-3 science-y blogs of interest (you can either use Personalized Start Pages, an RSS reader, or have notifications sent to your inbox) -- check out Nature, Scientific American, Science, Discovery, Research Blogging. Labspaces -- or just try a Google search for areas of scientific interest. o Blog post: which blogs did you subscribe to and why? Did you find yourself more interested in the content or career/practice type blogs?
Week 3 Review Papers, 2.0 (wisdomap) o post 4 annotations to wiki by next Tuesday o Reading #6: The Science of Scientific Writing
Thursday e-Homework: Academic bookmarking sites o Explore the academic bookmarking sites listed at "Bookmarking Sites" in the Student Resources section (see left sidebar) 5
o Choose one of the above data-collecting approaches to use for this semester -- Link at least 1 source to your library. In Blog, explain which you chose and why; provide URL to your page on that site.
Week 4 Elements of Effective Writing / Review intros o read sample review paper -- choose one Selected CAM Therapies for Arthritis-Related Pain Basic Organizational Principles of the VOR: Lessons from Frogs Representing Model Uncertainty in Weather and Climate Prediction The Role of Phase Synchronization in Memory Processes Neural Plasticity in the Ageing Brain Exuberance in the Development of Cortical Networks Review: Improving cement-based materials by using silica fume o 4 Annotations posted to wiki by next Tuesday
Thursday e-Homework o Student Blog Authors: first half of class o Each blog author writes an entry on topic of his/her choice . The rest of the class is responsible for reading and commenting on blog posts . authors should respond as they see fit to class comments
Week 5 5 minute Presentation of Research Question / Mapping the Review Paper/ Synthesizing Sources o Note: completed AB due next Tuesday o Reading 7: In Praise of Peer Review o Reading 8: "How to Write a Thesis" sections 1,2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.9, 3.10
Thursday e-Homework o Finish your annotated bibliography!!
Week 6 Review Paper Conclusions, Evaluation/Critique -- How to use Reading 3 (The Science of Scientific Writing) to help you write o Annotated Bibliography DUE Thursday e-Homework o submit introduction to Review Paper and outline to wiki by Friday
Week 7 Conferences – review paper Conferences 6
Week 8 From Review Paper to Thesis: What makes the Thesis Intro different bring favorite/exemplary Methods/Results to class after Spring Break
Thursday e-Homework: Review Paper DUE (post to Sakai)
Week 9--Spring Break
Week 10 Welcome back! Methods/Results: Having sufficient text
Thursday e-homework o Student Blog Authors: second half of class o Each blog author writes an entry on topic of his/her choice . The rest of the class is responsible for reading and commenting on blog posts . authors should respond as they see fit to class comments
Week 11 The Discussion Section/Writing the Journal article introduction o bring favorite/exemplary Discussion to NEXT class Thursday e-homework o Blog: Which journal/s would you submit to? Why?
Week 12 The Successful Abstract / Fun with Titles / o Methods DUE / Results DUE as they become available / Discussion DUE as soon as possible following Results!
Thursday e-Homework o Blog entry -- how’s your research going? o Thesis Introductions DUE Week 13 Creating Posters
Thursday e-Homework: o Check out “Pimp my Poster”, “E-bioPoster”, and “F1000 OA Poster Repository”
Week 14 Bringing the whole thesis together / Letter of Transmittal / Journal Analysis
Thursday e-Homework o none -- work on thesis/poster 7
Week 15 Poster Conferences! Class Evaluations
Thursday e-Homework o Reading #9: Research Intelligence – Rip it up and Start Again. o Final blog entry: what has the experience of creating knowledge been like?
Week 16 Research Portfolio DUE
Course Policies
Attendance Attendance is required. The policy of the University Writing Program is that if a student misses more than six periods during a semester, he or she will fail the entire course. Missing class on a double period counts as two absences. The UWP exempts from this policy only those absences deemed excused according to UF policy, including university-sponsored events, such as athletics and band, illness, and religious holidays. Absences related to university-sponsored events must be discussed with the instructor prior to the date that will be missed.
Please Note: If students are absent, it is their responsibility to make themselves aware of all due dates. If absent due to a scheduled event, students are still responsible for turning assignments in on time.
Tardiness: If students enter class after roll has been called, they are late, which disrupts the entire class. Two instances of tardiness count as one absence.
Make-Up Work Homework and papers will be due by the next class period for a student with a valid excused absence.
Plagiarism and Unethical Writing Behavior Plagiarism is a serious violation of the Student Honor Code. The Honor Code prohibits and defines plagiarism as follows: (3) VIOLATIONS OF THE STUDENT HONOR CODE. (a) Plagiarism. A student shall not represent as the student's own work all or any portion of the work of another. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to: 1. Quoting oral or written materials including but not limited to those found on the internet, whether published or unpublished, without proper attribution. 2. Submitting a document or assignment which in whole or in part is identical or substantially identical to a document or assignment not authored by the student. Unethical Writing Behaviors include: 8
(b) Unauthorized Use of Materials or Resources ("Cheating"). A student shall not use unauthorized materials or resources in an academic activity. Unauthorized materials or resources shall include: 1. Any paper or project authored by the student and presented by the student for the satisfaction of any academic requirement if the student previously submitted substantially the same paper or project to satisfy an academic requirement and did not receive express authorization to resubmit the paper or project. 2. Any materials or resources prepared by another student and used without the other student's express consent or without proper attribution to the other student. 3. Any materials or resources which the faculty member has notified the student or the class are prohibited. (c) Prohibited Collaboration or Consultation. A student shall not collaborate or consult with another person on any academic activity unless the student has the express authorization from the faculty member. 1. Prohibited collaboration or consultation shall include but is not limited to: a. Collaborating when not authorized to do so on an examination, take-home test, writing project, assignment, or course work. b. Collaborating or consulting in any other academic or co-curricular activity after receiving notice that such conduct is prohibited. (University of Florida, Student Honor Code, 21 October 2013,
Important Tip: You should never copy and paste something from the internet without providing the exact location from which it came.
Classroom Behavior Please keep in mind that students come from diverse cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Some of the texts we will discuss and write about engage controversial topics and opinions. Diversified student backgrounds combined with provocative texts require that you demonstrate respect for ideas that may differ from your own. Disrespectful behavior will result in dismissal, and accordingly absence, from the class.
Submitting Work and In-Class Work Papers and drafts are due by 11:55 p.m. on the assigned day or on-line at the assigned deadline. Papers and drafts will be due before the next class period for students with a valid excused absence.
Participation is a crucial part of success in this class. Students will be expected to work in small groups and participate in group discussions, digital assignments, peer reviews, and other in-class activities. Students must be present for all in-class activities to receive credit for them. In-class work cannot be made up. 9
In general, students are expected to contribute constructively to each class session.
Paper Maintenance Responsibilities Students are responsible for maintaining duplicate copies of all work submitted in this course and retaining all returned, graded work until the semester is over. Should the need arise for a resubmission of papers or a review of graded papers, it is the student’s responsibility to have and to make available this material.
Course Evaluations Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at https://evaluations.ufl.edu. Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open.
Summary results of these assessments are available to students at https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results.
Writing Studio The University Writing Program’s Writing Studio is located in Tigert 302 and is available to all UF students.
Mode of Submission All papers will be submitted as MS Word (.doc/x) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) documents to E- learning/Sakai. The Final Research Portfolio will be submitted in hard copy. Final drafts should be polished and presented in a professional manner. All papers must be in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins and pages numbered.
Students with Disabilities The University of Florida complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students requesting accommodation should contact the Students with Disabilities Office, Peabody 202 or online at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/. That office will provide documentation to the student whom must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation.