1. BIOL 5700 Communications Skills Hal Whitehead http://myweb.dal.ca/hwhitehe/BIOL4 062/communcla_2008.htm

2. Purpose To give you information about life as a graduate student and a practicing biologist

3. Tentative Timetable 5 Sept: Introduction for new graduate students (Paul Bentzen) 12 Sept: –Communications class –Introduction to graduate programmes in Biology –Administrative arrangements –Getting help –Departmental tour

4. Tentative Timetable 19 Sept: –“Normal” progress for graduate students –ATC's (introduction) –Supervisors and supervision –Talking and lecturing 26 Sept (Michelle Paon): –Orientation to the library's research resources 3 Oct (Michelle Paon): – Workshop on RefWorks bibliographic management software

5. Tentative Timetable 10 Oct (Marty Leonard): –Writing scientific papers 17 Oct: –Success as a graduate student and scientist –Student communication presentations –4-min FISH talks 24 Oct: –Getting money: research grant proposals –Student communication presentations –4-min FISH talks

6. Tentative Timetable 31 Oct: Student communication presentations 7 Nov: –Present research grant assessment evaluations –Student communication presentations 14Nov: Present and discuss ethical scenarios 21 Nov: Present and discuss ethical scenarios 28 Nov (Richard Wassersug): –Presenting science to scientists and the public

7. Tentative Timetable WINTER TERM 16 Jan: The ATC exam ~13 Feb: ATC practice ~13 March: ATC practice ~1 May: ATC practice Choose one

8. Assignments 1. 4-min FISH talk 5% 2. Summary and evaluation20% 3. Communication talk 15% 4. Research grant proposal 20% 5. Ethical issues 15% 6. Attend and evaluate seminars *15% 7. ATC proposal presentation 10% 65% or more (plus complete assignment 6) to pass