Academic Writing and Communicating Science in Dentistry module (DS50024)

Strong scientific communication is essential for postgraduate research in dentistry and forensic odontology. This module provides students with the skills to write clearly, retrieve and appraise literature, analyse data and present their work to a range of audiences. 

You will study scientific writing with a focus on referencing, plagiarism and academic ethics. Topics also include literature retrieval and critical appraisal, basic statistics, experimental design, and the use of ICT tools for presenting and analysing data. Written and verbal communication skills will be developed to accommodate audiences ranging from laypeople to senior specialists. 

Teaching will be delivered by mainly face-to-face sessions, with additional online resources accessed via Blackboard. All materials are available via My Dundee and academic support is available throughout the module. 

What you will learn 

In this module, you will: 

• Develop scientific writing skills with a focus on referencing, ethics and avoiding plagiarism 
• Build skills in retrieving, critically analysing and synthesising published literature 
• Apply a working knowledge of statistics and data analysis relevant to research 
• Communicate scientific data and concepts clearly to audiences with different levels of expertise 
• Develop proficiency in the use of digital tools to support data analysis, research outputs, and the effective communication of scientific information through presentations and posters. 

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the principles of scientific data retrieval, presentation, and communication 
• Apply a working knowledge of statistics and data analysis to research contexts 
• Show critical awareness of scientific integrity, ethics and professional conduct 
• Communicate scientific data using appropriate methods for specialist and non-specialist audiences 
• Evaluate written, numerical and graphical data, and apply experimental design principles effectively

Assignments / assessments

Poster design and presentation (60%) 

• Design a poster based upon a given subject or peer-reviewed publication 
• Oral presentation of the poster to an audience of lecturers and fellow students  

News and Views article (40%) 

• A short 900-word article based on a published paper or manuscript 
• Written for a non-specialist audience to practice communicating scientific concepts accessibly 

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• ​​Lectures and workshops 
• ​Small group exercises 
• ​Self-directed study