Admission requirements
Bachelor degree and admission to Master Vitality & Ageing.
Description
Having strong communication skills is imperative for a successful working life. Consequently, this educational line will focus on developing your communication skills (written and spoken) in academic, scientific and professional contexts. Communication in Science (CIS) will prepare you to express your ideas in an engaging manner to expert and non-expert audiences. By doing so, you develop tangible communication skills that will be advantageous for your future careers as researchers, practitioners and policy advisors.
Writing
Students will become acquainted with different components of scientific writing, such as planning, outlining, creating clear structure, being concise and building a strong argument. During peer feedback sessions students will consolidate the theorised strategies.
Oral skills
Students will develop scientific presentation skills and interpersonal communication. They will learn how to give effective presentations for different audiences and hone their feedback skills.
Examples of assignments that develop these skills are:
Giving a convincing talk (like a TED or Fame Lab talk)
Participating in a debate
Interviewing
Writing a scientific essay
Writing a policy paper
Writing a Thesis
Course objectives
The student:
writes a scientific paper using the major principles of writing
writes structured, concise and professional documents in English
is able to present a specific and convincing message to different audiences (scientific and fame lab style presentations)
is able to engage critically in the analysis of their own and their peers’ work
is able to communicate using a variety of novel communication methods (video and profile writing)
Mode of instruction
The course aims will be achieved through groups, writing tasks, delivering presentations and giving peer feedback.
This educational line is integrated in the modules of the programme Vitality and Ageing.
Course Load
The total course load is: 5 ECTS x 28 hours= 140 hours
Interactive lectures, working groups and activities: 30 hours
Preparation lectures, working groups and activities: 25 hours
Writing assignments: 60 hours
Oral presentations: 10 hours
Video pitch: 15 hours
Assessment method
Written assignments (Scientific paper, innovation paper, policy paper)
Oral presentations (individually and in groups)
Modern communication methods (video pitch, profile of a person, press release)
Thesis
Completion of compulsory assignments described in the assessment plan
Grading
The final grade is based on the scientific essay (15%), presentation about essay topic (5%), innovation paper (15%), video pitch (15%), policy paper (15%), profile of a person (10%), press release (5%) and thesis (20%). Credits will only be given if all compulsory assessments are completed.
The scientific essay will also be assessed separately by Biology of Vitality and Ageing and Research and Evidence, the innovation paper and the video pitch by The Older Individual, the policy paper by Organisation of the Ageing Society and the Thesis by Science and Career.
Participation and attendance
Students are expected to be actively engaged in discussion of the content and in the activities scheduled in the programme.
Resit
If an assessment or mandatory part of the course is not passed or completed, the student will get a retake or revision or has to fulfil an alternative assignment.
Exam review
How and when a review of the assessments will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the results at the latest.
Reading list
Will be published on blackboard.