Scientific Communications
EASA-450, Spring 2007
Course Organization
Calendar
Description
Intended
for students in the physical sciences. Lecture 2 hours per week. Principles of
effective writing for a scientific audience; the structure of reports, papers
and communications; techniques for the organization and delivery of results for
oral, written and poster presentations.
Course
Objectives
This
is very much a `learning-by-doing course'. Each of the three main methods of
scientific communication (writing, speaking, and preparing a poster) will
involve the students discussing each other's work. Guidelines will be introduced
and discussed in lecture format. Undergraduates will use material from a variety
of sources; graduate students will use material from their own research
areas.
Lecturer
David Crossley, Professor of Geophysics, O’Neil 103. Office hours: 8:30 am
- 12 noon, Monday – Thursday.
Class
Hours
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (occasionally), 9:00 – 9:50 am, O’Neil 100
Class
Format
A combination of class presentations (lectures) and practical discussions.
Students will be expected to make frequent presentations.
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated entirely on the Exercises (Assignments) and Class
Participation; there is no formal examination.
What
You Are Expected to Know
Little technical knowledge is required to take this course, but students should
have a background in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences because most of the examples
will use texts from their own subject area (mostly Geosciences).
Students
are expected to be familiar with the basic rules of English grammar and to be
able to express themselves competently in written English. Also students will be
required to make several oral presentations throughout the course and so will
need to be able to speak English clearly.
Finally,
students are expected to be able to use a computer word processor for the
assignments, such as Microsoft Word and will need to learn Power Point if
they do not already know this program.
Required
Textbook
Davis, Martha, 2005. Scientific Papers and
Presentations, 1st edition, Academic Press,
This
should be available in the Bookstore. A variety of photocopied examples and
other readings will be supplied throughout the course.
Secondary
Strunk,
Jr., W. and White, E.B., 1979, The Elements of Style, 3rd. ed.,
Turk, C.
and Kirkman, J., 1989, Effective Writing: Improving scientific, technical
and business communication, 2nd. ed., Chapman & Hall,
Turk, C.
and Kirkman, J., 1989, Effective Speaking: Communicating in Speech,
1st. ed., Chapman & Hall,
Alred,
G.J., C.T. Brusaw and W.E. Oliu, 2000. Handbook of Technical Writing, 6th
edition, Bedford/St. Martin's,
Alred,
G.J., C.T. Brusaw and W.E. Oliu, 1999. The Technical Writer's Companion, 2nd
edition, Bedford/St. Martin's,
Shaw,
H., 1994. Punctuate it Right!, 1st edition, HarperCollins, 208 pp., $4.99.
Shaw,
H., 1994. Spell it Right!, 1st edition, HarperCollins, 209 pp, $4.99.
Shaw,
Harry., 1994. Errors in English and Ways to Correct Them, 1st edition,
HarperCollins, 306 pp, $6.50.
Other
Useful References
AGU Manual of Grammar and Style (AGU Webpage)
Porush,
David, 1995, A Short Guide to Writing about Science, Harper Collins,
275 pp.
Penrose,
Ann & Katz, Steven, 1998, Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions
of Scientific Discourse, St. Martin's Press,
Alley,
Michael, 1987. The Craft of Scientific Writing. Prentice Hall,
Barrass,
Robert. 1978. Scientists Must Write: A guide to better writing for
scientists, engineers and students, Chapman & Hall,
Wilkinson,
Antoinette M., 1991. The Scientist's Handbook for Writing Papers and
Dissertations, Prentice Hall,
The
Chicago Manual of Style, ed. John Grossman, 14th ed., University of Chicago
Press, 921 pp., $40.
Day,
Robert, 1979. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, ISI Press,
Oldies
but Goodies
Gowers, Sir
Ernest., 1963. The Complete Plain Words, Penguin Books, 272 pp., ~$5.
Fowler, H.W.,
1978. A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd ed., revised by Sir
Ernest Gowers, Oxford Clarendon, 725 pp., ~$10.
Disability Services
Any student who feels that he/she may need academic accommodations in order to meet the requirements of this course -- as outlined in the syllabus -- due to presence of a disability, should contact the Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action. Please telephone the office at 314-977-8885, or visit DuBourg Hall Room 36. Confidentiality will be observed in all inquiries.
Academic
Integrity and Honesty
The University is a community of learning, whose effectiveness requires an environment of mutual trust and integrity. Academic integrity is violated by any dishonesty such as soliciting, receiving, or providing any unauthorized assistance in the completion of work submitted toward academic credit. While not all forms of academic dishonesty can be listed here, examples include copying from another student, copying from a book or class notes during a closed book exam, submitting materials authored by or revised by another person as the student's own work, copying a passage or text directly from a published source without appropriately citing or recognizing that source, taking a test or doing an assignment or other academic work for another student, securing or supplying in advance a copy of an examination without the knowledge or consent of the instructor, and colluding with another student or students to engage in academic dishonesty.
Any clear violation of academic
integrity will be met with appropriate sanctions.
Possible sanctions for violation of academic integrity may include, but
are not limited to, assignment of a failing grade in a course, disciplinary
probation, suspension, and dismissal from the University.
Students should review the
policy on Academic Honesty, which can be accessed on-line at http://www.slu.edu/colleges/AS/ under "Quicklinks for Students" or in hard copy form in the Arts and Sciences Policy Binder in each departmental or College office.
Grading
Scale for This Course
Assignments
will be graded according to the % scale and converted to the letter grades for
the mid-term and final grades. Some Assignments will be given extra weight as
noted in class.
|
New
undergraduate grading scale effective Fall 2005 |
|||||
|
Grade |
% |
Grade Points |
|
|
|
|
A |
85+ |
4.0 |
|
|
|
|
A- |
80-84 |
3.7 |
|
|
|
|
B+ |
75-79 |
3.3 |
|
|
|
|
B |
70-74 |
3.0 |
|
|
|
|
B- |
65-69 |
2.7 |
|
|
|
|
C+ |
60-64 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
|
C |
55-59 |
2.0 |
|
|
|
|
C- |
50-54 |
1.7 |
|
|
|
|
D |
45-49 |
1.0 |
|
|
|
|
F |
<
45 |
0.0 |
|
|
|