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Communication in science (Educational line)

Vak
2016-2017

Admission requirements
Bachelor degree and admission to Master Vitality & Ageing

Description
During this educational line, the students will focus on improving their communication skills.

Presenting / writing
Communication is recognised as being one of the most important tools in one’s professional life. During the CiS course students will prepare for situations in which they will be expected to be able to articulate their ideas to others in an effective and engaging manner to a multitude of different expert and non-expert audiences. They will develop their spoken and written communication skills in English for their future career, for example as a researcher, practitioner or policy advisor. The CiS will focus on enabling students to express their ideas clearly and confidently, to listen to others, to respond to others, and to ask relevant questions in order to obtain the information which they need.

The course will also enable them to express their ideas effectively in various formal and informal written genres from email to master’s thesis. Students will receive training in the principles of writing scientific English. They will read and discuss the strengths and the weaknesses of several scientific papers. Students will become acquainted with different forms of scientific writing, such as planning, making an outline, creating a clear structure, being concise and building a strong argument. During peer feedback sessions students will consolidate the theorized strategies.

Since communication skills do not only apply to the scientific setting, but also to a governmental, lay or personal setting, two important questions are 1) what is my message? and 2) what is my audience? Various assignments will address these questions, such as:

  • Giving a convincing talk (like a TED of Famelab talk)

  • Participating in a debate

  • Writing a scientific essay

  • Writing a policy paper

  • Writing a Thesis

Interpersonal communication
In addition, the students will focus on interpersonal communication, especially:
1. Communication with older persons; interviewing – writing narrative bio sketch
2. Giving and receiving feedback, interprofessional communication

Course objectives
The student:

  • writes a scientific essay using the major principles of writing

  • acquires skill in writing structured, concise, professional documents in English

  • convinces an audience of the specific message he/she wishes to convey

  • develops critical and argumentation skills through regular analysis of his/her own and his/her peers’ work

  • has obtained communication skills that allow him/her to write and present coherently and convincingly while taking into account modern presentation and writing principles

Mode of instruction
Working groups, writing and discussing exercises, (practical) assignments, peer review.

Assessment method
Oral and written assignments, in groups or individual. More information will be published on blackboard. During the course students will also receive marks for their participation and for the quality of constructive feedback which they give peers on the above assignments.

Reading list:
Will be published on blackboard.