MNKOM9010 – Communicating Science
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
Communicating scientific scientific knowledge is an important skill for PhD-candidates?aiming for a successful career in academic research, private companies or in the public sector. Communication skills also contribute to critical thinking, dialogue between scientists, and a closer relationship between scientists and the public.
In this course, you will develop skills for communicating science to fellow scientists and to the public. This includes strategies for drafting, structuring and revising texts, graphical illustrations and presentations, techniques for giving and receiving feedback from peers, and tools for interacting with journalists.?You will also discuss communication theories and strategies, and use this knowledge to analyze various genres in science communication.
Learning outcome
After completing this course, you are able to:
- analyze, compare and evaluate genres in science communication
- communicate your own research?to a specific audience by choosing an appropriate genre and style
- reflect on the value of communicating science as a PhD-candidate and in a future career
Admission to the course
PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb?before the deadline for courses at bachelorlevel. The course has limited intake capacity (20 participants). Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:
PhD candidates?at the MN faculty who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included
Other PhD candidates?at the MN faculty
PhD candidates?at the University of Oslo
Visiting PhD candidates
All applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally.
PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.
If you later after the deadline will ask if this course has available places, please contact the teacher of the course.
Teaching
The course includes a mandatory quiz/survey in Canvas which needs to be completed. The quiz is a mapping of your background and motivation for taking the course.
You will lose your place on the course if you do not complete the survey by 1 February/ 1 September.
The course is taught as a two-week intensive course, followed by two weeks of individual work with the home exam. The teaching consists of workshops, discussions and peer feedback sessions. The course requires active participation from all participants.
The course is divided into three parts. The first is focused on communicating to fellow scientists through journal papers, oral and visual presentations. The second part focuses on communicating science to a broader audience using a variety on genres, including the writing of popular science texts and being interviewed by journalists. In the third part, the home exam, you will employ your knowledge about science communication on a new and unfamiliar genre. You must choose a genre, an audience and an appropriate message to communicate, and submit?a text, a video, a podcast or a graphical presentation as your final delivery. The submission must also include descriptions of analyzed reference works and reflections on the process of creating your communication product.
Attendance at 80 percent of the course and approval of four written assignments is required to be allowed to take the home exam.
Access to teaching: A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Two weeks after the final day of teaching, participants must submit a written home exam.
Approval of the four assignments is required to be allowed to take the home exam.
Examination support material
Support material is allowed during the home exam period.
Language of examination
You may submit your home exam in Norwegian or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence can be granted an extended deadline. Re-scheduled examinations are not offered.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.