FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What topics do you cover in the scientific writing workshop?
An important focus is the structure of good writing. We examine this at the level of sentences, paragraphs, abstracts and entire papers. We’ll tell you what structures work well and show you why. And we’ll explore the reasons why the writing process can go wrong. We also discuss the editorial practices at top scientific journals, the writing process itself, the importance of editing and much more. Our philosophy is that people learn best by doing, so we have plenty of exercises to help you put the ideas you learn into practice.
What about AI and Large Language Models?
AI has had a huge influence on the scientific writing since ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in 2022. Our view is that there is much AI can help with when it comes to planning and editing scientific papers. However, we are cautious about its efficacy in the writing process itself. We have developed a range of GPTs that workshop participants can use to explore the benefits and shortcomings of Large Language Models. We think that humans are going to play the key role be needed Our workshop explores
How much preparation is required?
We ask participants to complete a short writing exercise before each workshop. This helps to focus them on the course before they arrive. We prepare detailed feedback about this written work for participants at the 2-day workshop. In our experience, early-career scientists find this particularly useful. At the 1-day workshops, participants provide feedback on each other’s writing, under our guidance.
How many people can attend the scientific writing workshop?
We usually cater for up to 20 participants at our 2-day workshop. An important limitation is the time it takes us to give one-to-one feedback to each participant. At institutions with more participants, we run a third day to finish this feedback.
Do you run shorter courses?
We run a 1-day condensed version of the workshop. While the opportunity for one-to-one feedback is limited here, the 1-day course allows us to cater for larger numbers of participants.
How does the 5-day course work?
Participants arrive with a specific writing goal–to produce a research paper, dissertation, thesis, commentary or similar. We front load the week with sessions on the writing and editing processes, then offer writing clinics throughout the rest of the week when participants can focus on their goal. We expect that by the end of the week, they will have completed a significant part of this work.
Can you put us in touch with other institutions who have hosted your workshops?
Yes, we’re proud of our record. If you’d like an independent assessment of our work, we can put you in contact with coordinators at other institutions who have used us.
Do you teach other skills?
We offer a combined scientific writing and presentation skills workshop, which we run over three days. We also teach media skills: how to deal with journalists and write for a more popular audience. We can combine elements of these courses in workshops designed to suit your own requirements. Just let us know what you need.
How much do the workshops cost?
Costs depend on a range of factors including the length of the workshop, the amount of feedback we prepare in advance and where we host the event. Please contact us and we’ll prepare a quote with no obligations.
