Communicating research

Aim
The aim of the course is to enable research students to critically take a position on, plan and perform
different communication initiatives with regard to their research projects. A further aim is for research
students to increase their understanding of the importance of being able to communicate research
results both to the academic community and to society at large.
Knowledge prerequisites
Admission to postgraduate research programme.
Intended learning outcomes
Following successful completion of the course, the doctoral students should be able to:

  • independently, critically and with scholarly precision plan and orally communicate research results to
    different groups
  • systematically analyse research communication in different rhetorical situations
  • use appropriate terms and suitable language to discuss different types of research communication
    both within and outside their own subject.
    Course description and contents
    The course provides research students with the opportunity to develop their ability to communicate
    research results to different groups in society. Emphasis is placed on the use of the process of rhetoric
    to analyse, plan and implement different types of communication. Within the course, the focus is on
    oral research communication but the students are expected to actively use different modes of
    communication, not only spoken but communication through writing, listening, reading and performing.

Working formats
Besides independent study, the course is organised as group discussions, peer review, performance
practice, seminars and lectures. The design of the course is that research students participate in
developing knowledge together with fellow students and teaching staff by actively contributing with
their own experiences, reflections, interpretations and perspectives.
Formats for the assessment of performance
The assessment is based on two oral presentations of the research student’s research project. The first
presentation is to address the academic community and the second one wider society. The student’s
active and critical feedback on the performance of fellow students is included in the assessment. In
addition to the oral presentations, the students are to produce a written analysis and justification of the
choices of content and form of their own presentations.
Grading scale
Pass and Fail
Literature:

Andreweg, Bas, De Jong, Japp, Van Brugel, Frederique. The first minutes of conference presentations: An
analysis of the opening of 16 research papers. 2010 IEEE International Professional Comunication
Conference, Professional Communication Conference (IPCC), 2010 IEEE International, [s. l.], p. 262–272,

DOI 10.1109/IPCC.2010.5530018. Disponível em: https://search-ebscohost-
com.proxy.mau.se/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edseee&AN=edseee.5530018&lang=sv&site=eds-live .
Acesso em: 18 maio. 2020. (10 p)

Besley, John (2015). What do scientists think about the public and does it matter to their online
engagement? Science and Public Policy 42(2), 201–214. https://academic-oup-com.proxy.mau.se/
spp/article/42/2/201/1631589 (14p)

Bourne, Philip E. (2007). Ten Simple Rulse for Making Good Oral Presentations. PLoS Comput Biol, 3(4).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857815/ (1p)


Erren, Thomas C och Bourne, Philip E (2007). Ten Simple Rules for a Good Poster Presentation, PLoS
Comput Biol, 3(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1876493/ (1p)


Kjeldsen, Jens E. (2006). The Rhetoric of Power Point. Seminar net http://www.seminar.net/files/
Kjeldsen_powerpoint.pdf (15p)Leshner, Alan (2015). Bridging the opinion gap. Science. 347(6221), 459
https://science-sciencemag-org.proxy.mau.se/content/sci/347/6221/459.full.pdf (1p)


Lucas, Stephen (2011). The art of public speaking. New York: McGraw-Hill. (200 p in selection) Alt.
Lindstedt, Inger (2015). Talarens hantverk: att göra framgångsrika presentationer. Lund:
Studentlitteratur

Olsson Jers, Cecilia, Wärnsby, Anna (2018) Assessment of situated orality: The role of reflection and
revision in appropriation and transformation of new knowledge. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education, 43(4): 586-597 http://mau.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:1399944/FULLTEXT01.pdf(11p)


Pedwell, Rhianna, Hardy, James, Rowland, Susan Effective visual design and communication practices for
research posters: Exemplars based on the theory and practice of multimedia learning and rhetoric.
Biochemistry and molecular biology education, [s. l.], v. 45, n. 3, p. 249–261, [s. d.]. DOI
10.1002/bmb.21034. Disponível em: https://search-ebscohost-
com.proxy.mau.se/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edswsc&AN=0004014337000077&lang=sv&site=eds-live.
Acesso em: 18 maio. 2020 (12p).


Transitional provision
Within one year after the course has been discontinued or the course content has been substantially
changed, the student is entitled to two separate opportunities to be assessed in accordance with the
course syllabus that applied at the time of registration. The course is concluded with an individual
written evaluation based on the learning outcomes of the course. The course director is to provide
information about the result of the evaluation and any changes occasioned by it in conjunction with the
end of the course. The next time the course is offered, the course director provides information about
any implemented changes to the course.


Course evaluation
The course will be completed with an individual written course evaluation based on the objective of the
course.