Entry requirements
Only open to MSc Psychology (research) students (= researchmaster students).
Description
When you are not able to write a compelling article, your academic career will be a constant uphill battle — no matter how excellent your ideas and research might be. As a scientist, you need to be able to explain your work to other scientists, and do this clearly, effectively, and convincingly. Despite the fact that good writing skills are of crucial importance (both inside and outside of academia), very few courses in the Dutch educational system teach proper scientific writing. As a result, students are left to improve their writing skills largely by themselves, through trial and error. This is unfortunate, because anybody’s writing skills can be considerably improved with only a little instruction.
In this course, we will cover the basics of scientific writing by means of weekly plenary sessions, exercises and small-scale feedback sessions. All teaching materials are tailored to the needs of a psychological researcher in action. After completing this course, you will be on your way to becoming a better writer, and, perhaps, a better scientist as well.
Course objectives
To improve your scientific writing skills.
Timetable
For the timetables of your lectures, work groups and exams, please select your study programme in:
Psychology timetables
Registration
Course
Students need to enroll for lectures and work group sessions.
Master’s course registration
Examination
Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination.
Registering for exams
Mode of instruction
10 seminars of 2-3 hours.
Assessment method
The assessment is based on 4 take-home assignments (weight 2/3) and an exam about the book (weight 1/3).
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud.
Reading list
English for Writing Research Papers by Adrian Wallwork (2011, ISBN 1441979212)
Reader with exercises
Lecture notes: selected articles.
Contact information
Prof. dr. S. Nieuwenhuis
snieuwenhuis@fsw.leidenuniv.nl