KJM4020 – Scientific communication
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
What is scientific communication? Background theory about the scientific process and dialog. The role of written documentation in the scientific process, with emphasis on the laboratory journal, report and the article. Genre understanding of scientific publications; style of writing according to forum, form and content. Search for scientific publications in relevant databases. Critical source review and the correct use of references. Oral scientific presentation and popular scientific presentation, responsibility and ethics. Ethical awareness around scientific communication culture, impact factor, publication bias, plagiarism and scientific fraud.
Learning outcome
- You will have had a theoretical introduction to principles, values and challenges we encounter in scientific communication.
- You will know how to plan and document your scientific experiments in a written form and how to commuicate those plans with coworkers. You will be familiar with the project plan, the experimental plan and the laboratory journal as genres.
- You will know how to perform good, structured searches in relevant databases for your field of research, and know the priciples of a good critical source review. You will be familiar with the resources in the library and learn to obtain, evaluate and put together relevant information.
- You will be familiar with the form, structure and content of the most common written publication formats in science; the scientific report and article, and know how to manage and use references in a correct manner.
- You will have been introduced to oral presentation of science to a scientific or non-scientific audience (popular science).
- You will be aware of ethical considereations in the production of scientific communication, and be familiar with the problems of plagiarism and scientific fraud.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Students must contact the student administration at the Department of Chemistry to be signed up for the course after the main registration deadline. KJM4020 is an intensive course given early in the semester therefore it is not possible to enter into KJM4020 after the first lecture has started.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
You have to be a registered Master's student at The faculty of mathematics and natural sciences in order to be admitted to KJM4020. You also need to have a defined Master's thesis.
Teaching
The course comprises 10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars/exercises. During the course the student makes a report of 10-30 pages and gives a presentation for 10-15 minutes.
The lectures are mandatory. If you are unable to join the first lecture, the Expedition Office has to be informed in advance (phone 22 85 54 46). If you fail to register as an active student for the course, you will loose the access to the course for the given semester.
Within August 10th / January 10th, international students must inform the Examination Officer at the Department of Chemistry (room VU12, phone 22855447) if English teaching is requested.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Passed/failed based om an approval of the report, the student presentation and an active participation during the lectures.
Students who are absent for more than 20% of the lectures will not get the course approved.
This subject does not offer new examination in the beginning of the subsequent term for candidates who withdraw during an ordinary examination or fail an ordinary examination.
Information about examination rules.
Explanations and appeals
Other
The teaching will be cancelled if less than 3 students have registered for the course by the closing date for course registration in January/August.
Exercises are only valid for one semester.