GEO4012 – Scientific Writing and Presentation
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Choose semester
Course content
This course will make it easier for you to structure and write your master's thesis. Key aspects of academic writing are taught, centred around the traditional IMRAD-style of writing (Introduction, Methods, Results, And Discussion). The course is practical and involves discussions about writing routines and academic genres, but also reflections on being a master's student, and what to expect from your supervisors. You will start writing your thesis introduction in the course and will receive detailed feedback on the text. You will also take part in giving constructive criticisms to other students. In addition, you will get experience in reviewing and presenting scientific literature.
This course shares its lectures with GEO4014 – Basin Analysis - Scientific Writing, Presentation and Field Course.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, you are able to
- describe the main aims of your master's project and place the project in a broader geoscientific context
- develop your own hypotheses
- discuss data and interpretations from scientific literature, including presenting papers orally
- structure and write your master's thesis according to the IMRAD structure
- prepare and present your master's project orally
- reflect on how to conduct a scientific study and how to structure your work
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's 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 If you do, you will be withdrawn from GEO4014.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's 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 how to present orally, and seminars where the students work on their own texts and presentations and give/receive feedback.
The seminars are compulsory and the student will be working on written assignments and a paper presentation that must be approved prior to the 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
Attendance at the compulsory seminars, submission of written assignments, and a paper presentation must be approved prior to the oral examination.
The final examination is an oral presentation followed by a discussion and counts 100% towards the final grade.
When writing your exercises make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for use of sources and citations. Breach of these rules may lead to suspicion of attempted cheating.
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.