Programm

This course sets the foundation for writing and publishing research articles in the biomedical sciences. It gives an overview of biomedical research journals, IMRaD article structure, and readers’ expectations of the text, and it presents broad strategies for writing the articles and accompanying cover letters and for revising after peer review. The course aims to demystify these processes, by illustrating the range of techniques and strategies that skilled writers use. The course was developed in 2022 for the Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (intervals.prbb.org/courses/75) and is now part of their regular offer with several editions per year.

Sessions

Session 1. The biomedical research literature
- Introduction to research publishing
- Characteristics and qualities of biomedical research journals
- IMRaD structure – a guide to reading and writing
Session 2. Writing strategies
- Pre-writing – planning the structure and scope of a research article
- Resources for writing (reporting guidelines, instructions to authors, nomenclatures)
- The writing process
- Verb tenses in different IMRaD sections
Session 3. Optimal sentences, paragraphs and sections
- Preferred sentence structures for scientific texts
- Paragraphs – the basic building block of text
- Efficient use of sections (sub-IMRaD) and how to write section headings
Session 4. Good citation practice & Advanced verb usage for making accurate claims
- Reasons for citation in research articles
- Placement of citations in text, and writing text to accompany citations
- Quotation with citations
- Implications of poor citation practice
- Claims in simple sentences
- Claims in complex sentences
Session 5. Writing about tables and figures
- Learn a method for writing a paragraph that highlights key features of a table or figure, to facilitate readers’ interaction with the display
- Apply the method in class for a sample table and figure
- Learn to write effective figure legends and table titles
Session 6. Submission and peer review
- Revision before submission
- Cover letters
- Peer review: types and outcomes
- Revision after peer review
- Rebuttal letters and point-by-point responses

Calendar

- Tuesday 18 June, from 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (half-hour lunch break)

- Thursday 20 June, 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (half-hour lunch break)

- Tuesday 25 June, 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (half-hour lunch break)

- Tuesday 2 or Wednesday 3 July, "Reception"

Location

Nuova Biblioteca Rizzi, Aula Master 3 

Speaker

Valeria Ann Matarese

Registration

PhD students have to enter the couse in the PhD Notebook by June 10th.