GEO4012 – Scientific Writing and Presentation
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Choose semester
Changes in the course due to coronavirus
Autumn 2020 the exams of most courses at the MN Faculty will be conducted as digital home exams or oral exams, using the normal grading scale. The semester page for your course will be updated with any changes in the form of examination.
See general guidelines for examination at the MN Faculty autumn 2020.
Course content
This course is focused on developing the participant's experience in reviewing scientific literature, writing their own scientific texts, and oral presentations of review finding and their own data.
The course is designed for students to select a suitable topic that is complementary to their own MSc-project theme, and to efficiently and systematically synthesize essential information from the topic, both thematically and from case studies. During the course, the students will prepare their own scientific texts and presentations, aimed at milestone presentations during the semester.
This course shares its lectures with GEO4014 – Basin Analysis - Scientific Writing, Presentation and Field Course.
Learning outcome
Knowledge targets - by the end of the course you will know
- how to develop a scientific hypothesis, from theory into required documentation
- how to synthesize and condense information from scientific literature, to suit a specific research target
- how to logically present scientific data in written form (IMRAD)
- how to prepare and present scientific data orally
Proficiency targets - by the end of the course you will be able to
- undertake independent scientific work, from formulating a hypothesis to acquiring and processing data as evidence
- write and present a scientific review of a geoscientific theme or area
- construct and deliver a scientific presentation
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must apply for courses in Studentweb.
The course is restricted to students admitted to one of the following master programmes / programme options:
It is not possible to register for both GEO4014 – Basin Analysis - Scientific Writing, Presentation and Field Course and GEO4012 in the same semester. If you do, you will be withdrawn from GEO4014.
GEO4012 has a total capacity of 32 students. Students having GEO4012 in their approved Master study plan will be given priority. If there are more then 32 applicants, the applicants will be selected by drawing lots.
Overlapping courses
- 5 credits overlap with GEO4010 – Introduction to a master study in geosciences (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with GEO4014 – Basin Analysis - Scientific Writing, Presentation and Field Course.
Teaching
Lectures on academic writing and research, and presentation of results in front of an audience. The lectures will be followed up by mandatory seminars where the students will work on their own texts and presentations, and give and receive feedback from peers. Students will also receive individual supervision of their research project. This work will end in a compulsory presentation and discussion on the project which, after it has been accepted, is the basis for an oral examination.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).
We reserve the right to change the teaching form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
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Written and orally presented milestones and discussion that must be approved individually in order to qualify for the final examination.
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The final examination is an oral presentation followed by a discussion and counts 100% towards the final grade.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
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 from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.