Advanced Academic Skills
Full course description
A good researcher not only knows a lot about their specific topic of study; they are also able to communicate their findings clearly and concisely to others. Advanced Academic Skills will improve your ability to do just this by focusing on you prose style, (written) organization, and argumentation. The course picks up where PRA1102 left off by asking you to develop your writing for various genres, including the Abstract, Literature Review, Research Proposal, and Research Paper. At the same time, you will collaborate with your classmates for peer review exercises and didactic presentations.
By the end of the course, you will be better prepared to complete your BTR thesis writing and participate in a scientific/academic career beyond MSP. Thus, Advanced Academic Skills is particularly suitable for students who are generally interested in the process of scientific communication and/or intend to continue their science education beyond the undergraduate level.
Course objectives
- Read academic literature from outside your discipline and incorporate it in your own writing.
- Synthesize unfamiliar research to assess the state of a research field.
- Adapt your writing/research for different genres of academic/professional literature (literature reviews, abstracts, scientific reports, original research papers).
- Write professional and polished texts suitable for scientific/academic audiences.
- Provide peer feedback on academic writing.
- Incorporate given feedback in your writing.
- Collaborate with your peers to complete assigned tasks.
- Apply the IMRaD structure to your own research and effectively write each section.
Prerequisites
- PRA1102
Co-requisites
- None
Recommended reading
A selection of readings, videos, and “podcasts” will be assigned each week. All course materials are currently accessible (for free) online, via Canvas, or through the UM Library webpage