Scientific Writing: Course Modules

Note: During the Covid-19 pandemic, I am teaching all courses online, via Zoom or other online course delivery service. When the pandemic is over, I will return to classroom teaching.

I teach a series of course modules on aspects of scientific writing and publishing. The modules are designed around the idea that scientific writing should be a structured practice, approached logically, step-by-step. I constantly remind my students: “Nobody writes a scientific paper; a scientific paper is what you end up with after you complete a list of specific tasks.” This structured method takes the pain and guesswork out of writing for publication. Writing will accompany your scientific work instead of distracting from it, so that you will write and “do science” at the same time. When scientists adhere to the method, by the time they are ready to “write a paper,” the paper is already close to finished.

My course modules can be mixed and matched to suit your needs. They can be taught individually, as 2- or 3-hour workshops, or they can be combined into more comprehensive courses (8-20 hours) that will take Master’s thesis or PhD dissertation students through the whole writing process. They can be tailored to meet the needs of senior scientists who wish to be more productive, and they can be offered as professional development or continuing education courses.

Within Switzerland, I generally teach these courses through an arrangement with the Medical Library of the University of Bern, especially if they will be taught every year. Outside of Switzerland, I teach courses on a freelance basis. My rates are listed here, including rates for customized courses or course series.

Introductory Courses

"For an online course, it was indeed a great and perfect course with breaks and with the lecturer always paying attention to the chat and answering all the questions."

"Kali is highly motivated to teach students scientific writing. Her fascination is contagious. During the lectures all questions were answered in a few seconds."

"I really liked going through all parts of a paper and discussing their content. I think now it should be easier to write the thesis."

"I learned a lot about the differences between writing in German and writing in English. Really good explanations and examples, good structure, clear slides."

"It was very helpful to look at different Introductions, so we saw good and bad examples and could compare them with our own Introductions."

I learnt a lot about scientific writing, it was an eye opening experience. The workshop was very insightful, unique and well organized.

Core Courses

"Very clear structure. Helpful input for non-native speakers, plus concrete examples. I've copied them as a template for my (first) paper."

For me as a non-native speaker, it's perfect. I never knew the function of the paragraph and learned a lot about the stylistics of good writing."

"I liked the Q&A, interactivity and hands-on work, especially since the course had to be given online due to the Coronavirus situation."

"Learning about the equator.org checklists was helpful, and all the specific things I should do: what to do first; how to set up a table to track lab notes, and how to evaluate our target journals."

"We created our own outline and analyzed our target journal during the class. Now I know how to figure out the structure of my paper. Lots of practical exercises and helpful hints."

Elective Courses

"Practical hints on how to cope with difficult situations concerning authorship."

"Kali Tal is very clear and straightforward. She uses real examples and builds in short pauses, which is important in a 3-hour lecture. She also advises on additional readings."

"Very motivating way of teaching, good examples, easy to follow and understand, good balance of theory and fun."

"We had the chance to be active. Kali gave good advice that reflects the real world of publishing. I really liked her course. She brings a lot of energy and is easy to follow, even online.