CHOP/Penn Scientific Writing Workshop With Dr. Judy Swan

CHOP’s Office of Academic Training and Outreach Programs (ATOP) and the UPenn Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs Office (BPP) are excited to offer a Scientific Writing Workshop with Dr. Judy Swan.

Part I: Paragraphs and Arguments
In science, paragraphs are the central locus of scientific arguments, but real paragraphs in professional documents rarely look like the templates most of us learned in school. This workshop revisits paragraphs to develop a more sophisticated understanding of paragraph structure and function. Using this more realistic framework, we develop a taxonomy of paragraph structures that highlights the different roles they play in different sections of scientific research articles.

Part II: Developing an Effective Writing Process in Science
Ask a room full of scientists, “Who writes slowly?” and almost every hand will go up; we seem to believe in a mythic ‘average’ writer who is somehow able to do easily what we find difficult. This workshop focuses on developing strategies for writing; it aims to dispel many of the misconceptions and practices that prevent writers from working effectively. We consider current best practices for improving your own writing and for working more productively with coauthors at any level. Topics include getting started, giving feedback, responding to comments, and revising effectively.

Presenter: Judith Swan, Ph.D., Associate Director for Writing in Science and Engineering (WSE), Princeton University

Space is limited and lunch will be provided.