Writing group

Our lab runs a bi-weekly writing group for students, post-docs, and supervisors. We view writing not as the end-point of the scientific process, but a continuous part of that process. Writing is a way of learning, challenging preconceptions, and communicating our knowledge. There is also no part of the thesis or scientific process where one should not be writing. Writing Group provides incentive to actively keep writing, while improving our writing and communication skills.

We submit writing (up to 4 pages or 2 figures and tables with captions) and reviewers are assigned to each submission. Written comments are provided. We meet as a group and the reviewers for each submission provide oral feedback on the submission. Submissions often include sections of thesis chapters, manuscripts, figures, abstracts for conferences, revisions and responses for a manuscript, or sections of a website. Some documents where we draw inspiration are the BES guide to peer reviewing, Writing Science by Schimel, Parker et al 2018 Nature Ecology and Evolution, Andrew Hendry’s “baby-werewolf-silver bullet” blog, as well as other ‘how to’ documents.