It's going to be all write

Spring 2022 is at an end, along with some other things. In this episode, Seth, Niklas, and Clay talk about the future of the podcast, Seth's departure from the Fulbright program, and the end of Covid distancing measure for students and staff. We recap some of the more interesting experiences we have encountered in the last five months, revisit some ideas from the Season 5 podcast, and discuss the return of physical attendance in classrooms and exam halls. Episode 8 is our final podcast for Season 5, although Niklas and Clay are uncertain about the podcast's future. Clay's Ph. D. contract terminates August 31, 2022, and while we hope to keep the podcast going the future depends on where Clay ends up after his Ph. D. is complete. If you have enjoyed the podcast, please contact us at writingcentre@nmbu.no and tell us! If you want us to continue with Season 6, get in touch and let us know so we can find a way to continue offering It's going to be all write.

If there is one thing we can agree upon, it's that nobody likes exams. If there is one thing to think about, it is what is the real purpose of an exam? Not all exams are made equal, and not all exams test you on the same knowledge or skills. That's why we have different exam formats: multiple choice, written, oral, formative, summative, ongoing, home, open-book. In this episode, Seth, Niklas, and Clay break down some of these exam types and discuss what the real purpose of some of these exams are, and how you can better prepare yourself knowing what the exam is actually testing you on. Resources https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-collegesuccess/chapter/text-common-types-of-tests-in-college/ (https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-collegesuccess/chapter/text-common-types-of-tests-in-college/)   http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/academicassessment/repository/files/Matching%20Assessment%20to%20Learning%20Outcomes.pdf (http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/academicassessment/repository/files/Matching%20Assessment%20to%20Learning%20Outcomes.pdf)  

There are more ways to conduct and communicate research than merely reporting experimental results. Kerime Opijnen is a recent Ms. Sc. graduate from Lunds University and she shares her experiences using poetry and creative writing as a research format in this episode. Her work focuses on The Power of Poetry to bridge gaps between human rights and environmental devastation in the Niger Delta and oil consumers in the Netherlands. Kerime was kind enough to discuss the role that poetry and creative writing can take as a research method, as a writing form for Master's research, and why non-standard research and writing have value for people across the world. Show Note: Clayton asked Kerime to share some additional information about some of the positive work being done in the Niger Delta by activists. Here is what she said: "When I spoke to Nnimmo Bassey, he was in Port Harcourt in the heart of the Niger Delta. He was there to visit polluted location and the places where contamination is being cleaned up. Particularly in Ogoniland, the clean-up process has started, which in Bassey's eyes vindicates the work and position of Ken Saro Wiwa who was assassinated in 1995. Bassey said that, to him, this clean-up is "a sign that, no matter who has suffered in the past and no matter what was done in the past, one day truth will prevail." Bassey also spoke about the hope that took from the took from the judgements in the Hague and also a recent UK Supreme Court ruling which held Shell accountable for environmental damages." Resources Kerime's Thesis: https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=9044288&fileOId=9044291 (https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=9044288&fileOId=9044291)   Rob Nixon's book Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor: https://books.google.no/books/about/Slow_Violence_and_the_Environmentalism_o.html?id=bTVbUTOsoC8C&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false (https://books.google.no/books/about/Slow_Violence_and_the_Environmentalism_o.html?id=bTVbUTOsoC8C&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false) Social Science Research Council - What is activist research?: https://items.ssrc.org/from-our-archives/what-is-activist-research/ (https://items.ssrc.org/from-our-archives/what-is-activist-research/) This is an English article about the Dutch court case which Kerime also talked about: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shell-nigeria-court-idUSKBN29Y1D2 (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shell-nigeria-court-idUSKBN29Y1D2) Nnimmo Bassey Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nnimmo_Bassey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nnimmo_Bassey) A.D. Carson, Ph.D - Seth mentioned A.D. Carson's successful Ph.D. Album thesis: https://aydeethegreat.com/ (https://aydeethegreat.com/)

IMRaD, or Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (and Conclusion) has become something of a Gold Standard for scientific, peer-reviewed writing. Because of this 'standardization' of science writing structure, IMRaD can be taken for granted, meaning that students might not receive enough information on when and why to use IMRaD. So why do we use IMRaD? How much flexibility is there in the IMRaD structure? What if I don't have explicitly research methods? Are there any alternatives to IMRaD, and if so, what are they and when should I use alternative structures? If you have ever wanted an answer to such questions, you've come to the right place. Resources A fifty-year study of IMRaD (Article Clay cites in the episode): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC442179/ Visual resource of IMRaD construction: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257616774_Improving_the_writing_of_research_papers_IMRAD_and_beyond/figures?lo=1 Writing a Research Paper in the Natural Sciences: http://ctl.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Schultz_ResearchPaper_NaturalSciences_formatted.pdf Research Guide for Writing in the Social Sciences (Use the Left side Menu to access resources on the page): https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/purpose

Everyone has heard the term 'literature review' or 'reviewed literature' or perhaps you've been told to 'read the literature on the matter.' Well, not all these things are the same and trying to figure out what a 'literature review' is can be complicated. Niklas and Clay break down the various different types of literature reviews, and the different reasons to review literature. Knowing how to effective use literature you have reviewed and when you are writing a literature review will not only reduce confusion, but will help you to identify when reading the differences reviewed literature and literature reviews. Both are valuable for us as researchers, but not all reviewed literature is a literature review, and not all literature reviews are the same either. Resources https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-01295-x.pdf?origin=ppub (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-01295-x.pdf?origin=ppub)  https://www.evidera.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Whats-in-a-Name-Systematic-and-Non-Systematic-Literature-Reviews-and-Why-the-Distinction-Matters.pdf (https://www.evidera.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Whats-in-a-Name-Systematic-and-Non-Systematic-Literature-Reviews-and-Why-the-Distinction-Matters.pdf)  https://guides.lib.odu.edu/c.php?g=966167&p=6980532 (https://guides.lib.odu.edu/c.php?g=966167&p=6980532)  https://guides.lib.odu.edu/c.php?g=966167&p=7021861 (https://guides.lib.odu.edu/c.php?g=966167&p=7021861)  https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-26837-4_8 (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-26837-4_8)  

Educational instruction has a lot more under the surface than giving class assignments and final exams. In this episode we try to understand how Didactics informs teaching approaches, and what makes didactics different from pedagogy. Niklas shares his knowledge and experience in didactics, while Seth and Clay talk about pedagogy's relationship to didactics. If you are interested in teaching theories and learning objectives, or you are a student who simply wants to understand why teachers might teach in certain ways, this is the episode for you. Resources Clay references this website post on Didactics vs. Pedagogy: https://reflectiveteachingjournal.com/difference-between-didactics-and-pedagogy/

Culture shock is an interesting phenomenon, and what often shocks us are at first the BIG difference we see. But, after enough time, we might find there are many small shocks that we may continue facing long after the big shocks have passed. In this episode, we talk about how different cultural expectations about education shape how we think and behave inside and outside the classroom. Clay and Seth share their educational culture shock experiences as foreigners in Norway. Collectively, we share ideas about how we think other international students can overcome educational culture shock and improve their experiences at a Norwegian University.

We are back in 2022 for another season of It's going to be all write. This season, Clay and Niklas are periodically joined by the Writing Centre's new Fulbright candidate, Seth Travoa. To start the season, the three of us sit down and discuss how education has been for the last two years, how we've coped with university life on Teams, Zoom, and other digital platforms. We talk about the good, the bad, and why we think that there are mixed feelings about how successful digital or hybrid teaching has been. Resources The Camera-On/Camera-Off Dilemma: https://www.edutopia.org/article/camera-oncamera-dilemma?fbclid=IwAR3XGuIlY0kZJtuQfb2U1pUCHWdguu_YcrhRDiVyOfI3ff53xUQUGmPIq10

Another year is winding down and another season of It's Going to be All Write is coming to a close. Niklas and Clay talk about what to expect from Season 5, new topics and ideas we want to address, and summarize what we've been up to for the past five months. We'd really like to hear from out listeners, so let us know what you like, what you want to hear us podcast about, or any questions you have. Send your questions or comments to us at writingcentre(at)nmbu.no A big thank you to all of our listeners, and we will be back with new episodes for Season 5 in February 2022.

English is the lingua franca of science and academics. Writing in English opens your research to a wider audience of students and researchers, but for many of us, English is not our first language. Instead, academic English may be a second, third, or even fourth language for students and researchers, which presents a unique set of challenges. In this episode, Clayton is joined by his Fulbright colleauge, Seth Trovao, to discuss the value of international educational exchanges, second language learning, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and using English as a Second Language (ESL) to communicate research. With shared educational backgrounds in English language instruction, Clay and Seth offer ideas and advice on how to approach developing your Academic English. Resources For more information on the Fulbright Exchange Program, please visit: https://fulbright.no/ Three tips to improve your English for university: https://www.linkschool.co.uk/academic-english-skills-for-university/

Why are some published research articles so difficult to understand? Some authors make their writing unnecessarily complicated, which means that their true meaning is obscured and readers must struggle to figure out what the point of a text is. Following up on our last episode about Critical Thinking, Niklas and Clay critically read and examine a piece of published, peer-reviewed writing. The authors present what seems to be an intelligent piece of writing but unnecessarily complicate the text with jargon, interruptions, prepositional phrases, and nominalization. On the surface, the text looks highly academic, but upon closer inspection and revision, we discover the authors have very little to actually say. Our conclusion? Some authors overcomplicate their writing to hide the deficiencies of their research, ideas, and argument or to position themselves within an academic niche. Remember, just because a piece of writing is published and is complicated does not mean that the text is good quality. Resources The Student Life News opinion piece - Unnecessary complexity in academic writing: https://tsl.news/opinion-unnecessary-complexity-in-academic-writing/ Critique of discourse analysis: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0957926508095894?casa_token=xedOlzzuSv0AAAAA:gGjYz4VkY-D6ns1BisibWUk917osxjaABmzbZETNz-dtkkQjbCkx_hKWUycSq5jkDD44v4HZQv1zdw Understanding 'In-Group' Jargon: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/using_appropriate_language/group_jargon.html

Niklas has been searching high and low for a Critical Thinking test he can use in his lectures and course curriculum planning. Sure enough, he found a test, and we decided to test ourselves to see how good a critical thinker we both are. In this episode, we examine the Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Test and walk through how we dissect and critically read a text. In the process, we examine how arguments are constructed, how rhetoric can be used to evoke an emotional response, how evidence can be used effectively or used to present a biased perspective, and how logical fallacies can easily be produced in writing. Along the way, we have some fun and try to demonstrate how to read and think critically, and why critical reading and thinking are important skills to apply in everyday situations. Resources Read about the Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Test: http://evolkov.net/critic.think/tests/Ennis-Weir.Critic.Think.Essay.Test.pdf Logical Fallacies: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/logic_in_argumentative_writing/fallacies.html

Clay sits down with a friend and fellow Ph. D. researcher, James Johnson from the University of Oslo, to chat about publishing and rejection. Rejection as a Ph. D. is difficult. Everyone knows that rejection is going to happen, but we are not always prepared for rejection when it happens. Clay and James discuss their experiences as Ph. D. candidates, the road to publication, and how it feels when research articles are rejected. Rejection might happen for a number of reasons, but there are also many ways to cope with rejection and move our research forward.

Hey! What's your research about? What methods are you using? Probably easy questions to answer, but how about this one: what is your research design? In our experience, we don't see many people with a clearly defined research design. In fact, we think a lot of research writing struggles actually stem from people neglecting to develop their research design. One of the problems is that we focus a lot on research questions and research methods, but we do not always account for what TYPE of research we are producing. That is where the research design comes in. In this episode, Clay and Niklas take a deep dive into the differences between research design and research methods, and explain why we need a well defined research design to help connect our research questions, methods, and writing together. Resources What research design is right for you? See the Sacred Heart Library: https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185902 (https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185902)   Comparing research methods and research design: https://pediaa.com/difference-between-research-methods-and-research-design/ (https://pediaa.com/difference-between-research-methods-and-research-design/)  https://essaymin.com/blog/difference-between-research-methods-and-research-design/ (https://essaymin.com/blog/difference-between-research-methods-and-research-design/ )

We've all gotten stuck in our research and writing. Being stuck sucks, and moving forward can be a challenge. In this episode, Clay and Niklas talk about why we get stuck in research and writing and offer practical approaches to getting 'unstuck'. Many of the topics we cover in this episode are discussed in greater detail and length in other episodes in past It's going to be all write seasons. We hope you check those previous episodes out to get even more help if you are feeling stuck in your writing process.

Welcome to our fourth season! As our semester at NMBU starts in September, we wanted to welcome listeners back, welcome new listeners, and begin the podcast season with a great topic for new students - Critical Thinking. Critical thinking is a core of western university education, but we don't think that critical thinking is always well defined in a classroom setting. Additionally, critical thinking is more than a one-time action, but a process of ways to developing original thoughts on subject matter. When it comes to research and writing, critical thinking represents the foundation for the work we will do as students and researchers. In this episode, we dive into what we think critical thinking is and how we think you can develop your critical thinking skills. We're really excited for this new season and look forward to upcoming episodes. Resources An in-depth look at the history of critical thinking: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/critical-thinking/ (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/critical-thinking/)   Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) and Logical Fallicies to avoid when writing: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/logic_in_argumentative_writing/fallacies.html (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/logic_in_argumentative_writing/fallacies.html)   

Another season is coming to an end. Niklas and Clay decided to participate in a Digital Study Hall and do a live Question and Answer Period with anyone who joined the Study Group. Since we were not sure how many people might attend, we also solicited questions from our Writing Advisors, and from students via social media. In this season finale, we offer our take on questions from a variety of people. This episode will be more disjointed than previous episodes, but we have a lot of fun making it. Apologies for the audio quality. We had a recording issue and tried to edit the podcast as best as possible. Resources Structure, Cohesion, and IMRAD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpSOSinp2Sw Narratives in Science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBPzhNUAris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxJY2yVbHRU Narrative and Ant-Narrative in Science: https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/58/6/1224/5032878 Writing Stories in Science: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43631863?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents How can we use the 'science of stories' to produce persuasive scientific stories? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-017-0047-7 Writing a Research Statement: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/graduate_school_applications/writing_a_research_statement.html

It's that time of year again. The Master's thesis crunch! We thought it was a good time to provide some ideas and advice on how to finalize your thesis with the remaining time available. Also, we talk about ways to prepare for your defence by collaborating with fellow students. If you are having troubles finding the motivation to work from home, alone, we also introduce a new service to help you connect with other students in the new NMBU Digital Study Hall. Don't forget to visit the resources below for even more writing support. Resources The Writer's Diet App: https://writersdiet.com/writers-diet-microsoft-word-app/ Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/ (https://www.grammarly.com/)  Word count tips: https://redwoodink.com/resources/10-tricks-to-reduce-your-word-count-in-academic-writing (https://redwoodink.com/resources/10-tricks-to-reduce-your-word-count-in-academic-writing)   YouTube tips to reduce your word count: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6_EkwGpi50&t=1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6_EkwGpi50&t=1s)  

If you listened to our last episode on the Dunning-Kruger Effect, you might have an idea why we wanted to follow up with spotting bad science. As we mentioned in Episode 5, the general trend in science seems to be the more you know, the more you are willing to acknowledge your uncertainty...so as science readers and writers, we should also be critical of scientific publications that make highly confident claims. Luckily for us, Andy Brunning has created A Rough Guide to Spotting Bad Science - a 12 point graphic poster to help you determine the quality of research and reports you might want to use in your own studies and writing. In this episode, we talk through these twelve points and try to give both everyday and academic examples of spotting bad sciences, to help you understand the causes and effects of misinformation. It is worth mentioning that while science and other forms of reporting can be truthful, they may also be manipulative. We highly recommend looking reading the article title Controlling the narrative: Euphemistic language affects judgements of actions while avoiding perceptions of dishonesty. We could have dedicated a whole episode to euphemisms and jargon, and this article may be insightful for you. Resources https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/04/02/a-rough-guide-to-spotting-bad-science/ (The Rough Guide to Spotting Bad Science): https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/04/02/a-rough-guide-to-spotting-bad-science/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027721000524 (Controlling the narrative: Euphemistic language affects judgements of actions while avoiding perceptions of dishonesty) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027721000524

Do you ever feel like you don't belong? Like the ideas you have, and the research you do isn't really good enough and you are waiting for someone to find you out? The Imposter Syndrome is a real psychological phenomenon that people face, students, Ph.Ds, and even people in their careers. Feeling like an imposter can cause anxiety, fear, and depressive thoughts, but we want you to know that you are neither an imposter, nor are you alone in feeling this way. This episode we talk about causes of the Imposter Syndrome, why it is normal, and how understanding the Dunning-Kruger effect can explain why you used to feel confident when starting your education or research, but might now feel like an imposter. We wanted to shed light on a common phenomenon and give you some explanations about why we start to lose confidence and feel insecure or incompetent as we move further and further into our research. This is part one of a two-part topic. In Episode 6 we will discuss how the Dunning-Kruger effect can be navigated by knowing how to spot bad science and by developing critical reading and research techniques.

Let's face it, not every University program applies written assignments to the same degree...until the final thesis. One challenge students face is that their writing skills remain underdeveloped as they approach their final thesis, and even Ph.Ds can enter their program with limited experience with academic and scientific writing. Some programs do not require much, or any writing, leaving students to 'fend for themselves' by the time their thesis deadline approaches. On the other side, being a Professor isn't easy either. Developing writing skills takes time and effort, and Professors might be pressed for time, uncertain about how to improve student writing skills, or might simply think that it is the students' responsibility to learn how to write. At the NMBU Writing Centre, we are working to creating Writing Enriched Curriculum (WEC), to improve teaching and student development. This podcast explores some of the challenges student writing development faces, some of the disconnects between teaching methods and learning objectives, and simple tools and approaches that University Departments can apply to integrate WEC for student writing improvement. Resources Eveline Bailey's Levels of Critical Writing: https://embteach.com/2016/04/13/blooms-taxonomy-and-levels-of-critical-writing/ Want to learn more about WEC? https://wac.umn.edu/wec-program/wec-model

People love stories, but science writers might not consider their writing as a form of story telling. In this episode, Niklas and Clay explore when narrative structures and techniques are valuable, why they are practical, and how to use narrative techniques in scientific and academic writing. Science writing might seem like you need to stick to the 'facts' or use what is referred to as 'anti-narrative' writing, but we go over some reasons for why narratives can help your research become more compelling for your reading audience. We shared some visuals during this podcast, which can be seen on our YouTube Channel, or you can follow the first link below. Show Resources The Plot Spiral https://www.annaclemens.com/blog/story-structure-scientific-paper Narrative and "Anti-Narrative' in Science https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/58/6/1224/5032878 Using Narratives and Storytelling to Communicate Science with Nonexpert audiences https://www.pnas.org/content/111/Supplement_4/13614

The NMBU Writing Centre is more than just a place where Niklas and Clay talk writing and research. We have a full staff of Writing Advisors who can help you improve your writing skills. In this episode, we introduce you to how you can access the Writing Centre, the services we can provide, and what you can expect from our consultations. While we do not discuss big topics in this episode, we hoped that by looking inside how the Writing Centre operates, we can encourage some of our listeners to book an appointment and get to know some of our staff. The NMBU Writing Centre is your gateway to improving your own writing skills. Book and appointment and learn more about the Writing Centre staff: https://nmbuwritingcentre.setmore.com/ https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/writing/writing-advisors

Writing a thesis is no small task, so Niklas and Clay break down the process and give some suggestions on how to prepare yourself. Our best advice is to be well prepared and organized, and know how your research process is interconnected with your writing process. This means knowing how to build a research design that is suitable to investigate your research topic and research questions, including a suitable research methodology. It also means planning for surprises, and budgeting enough time to read literature, write good notes, prepare an outline, and be able to finish a final written draft several weeks before your submission deadline. Resources for this episode Book an appointment at the Writing Centre: https://nmbuwritingcentre.setmore.com/ Understand your research design: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/researchdesigns Get more help from our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww NMBU Student? Use our Scientific Writing Resource Portal in Canvas: https://nmbu.instructure.com/enroll/FYM3PK

Looking forward to another season of It's going to be all write? We are. Here is a litte taste of what is to come in the first half of 2021. We want to hear from you! Contact us at writingcentre@nmbu.no Want more resources? Visit our homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/writing (https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/writing)   Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww)  Get more resources from SWR100 in Canvas: https://nmbu.instructure.com/enroll/FYM3PK (https://nmbu.instructure.com/enroll/FYM3PK)   Music Credit Coffee Shop by PYC Music | https://soundcloud.com/pycmusic (https://soundcloud.com/pycmusic)  Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com/ (https://www.free-stock-music.com)  Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-ND 3.0)  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ 

It's been a year, hasn't it? With so much happening as the semester comes to a close, and with many of us facing further Covid-19 restrictions, deadlines, and the holiday bustle, Niklas and Clay wanted to take a bit of an easy episode. We thought we would look back at how the Corona pandemic has affected university and personal environments over the last ten months, and also discuss how our shift towards hybrid or digital working models might continue into the future. With this, we think it is important to understand how diverse skill sets will become increasingly important in universities and future careers. These skills will not only include knowing how to navigate new technologies and their applications for work and study, but learning how to be creative problem solvers, and how other skills in listening, communicating, and becoming a jack-of-all-trades might become the skill set for our future careers. Happy holidays and we will return in 2021 for Season 3 of It's going to be all write.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. While looking for an interesting research article to breakdown and analyze, we realized we had the opportunity to talk briefly about mental health, discuss some interesting findings on a recent clinical trail study of depression treatment, AND compare how scientific research writing differs from scientific journalism. We had a lot of fun with this topic, and hope that you can find something useful, be it learning how to better analyze writing structures, purposes, movements, or clarity, or ways to become a more critical reader and thinker. If you or someone you know from NMBU could benefit from mental health support services, please contact SiT: https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/guidance/health-care-and-councelling https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/student-information-centre Episode Resources JAMA Research Article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2772630 ScienceNews.org Article: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/psilocybin-treat-depression-mushrooms-psychedelic The Gunning-Fog Index: http://gunning-fog-index.com Writer's Diet Test: https://writersdiet.com Science Writing vs. Scientific Journalism Blog from Scientific American (2010): https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-line-between-science-and-journalism-is-getting-blurry-again/

As a student or researcher, there are a lot of conversations, idea exchanges, suggestions, and other forms of communication that build towards our final written projects. However, it is not always easy to know what ideas need to be credited in our written reports, theses, or manuscripts for publication. This week, Niklas and Clay try to tackle the roles and responsibilities of mentorship, including what types of acknowledgements or citations are required from personal communications all the way to how you can improve the mentorship you receive. Mentorship comes from many different sources, and different people at different times can be beneficial to providing the research support, idea generation, and writing assistance you require.

Group work is inevitable in both university classrooms and professional careers. We are all going to need to be part of a working group that will co-author research together. And of course, most people hate group work. Niklas and Clay discuss some ideas to help smoothen out group work and collaborative research writing. As usual, the best points about collaboration have nothing to do with writing, but are relevant to smooth and well produced research reports, essays, theses, articles, and book chapters. We cover a lot of ground here, so hopefully there is something useful for Bachleor, Master, Ph.D, Post-Doc and professionals in a career already. Further resources: The Revision Road Map - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRwY5ktmyLM&t=438s The Vancouver Protocol - http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html The Eisenhauer Matrix - https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/

The type of format you intend to write in helps define the type of writing that you should do. While article or essay formats are not particularly 'hot topics,' formats guide expectations, much in the same way we expect to be scared when watching a horror film, or expect to laugh at a comedy. In the same way, scientific formats give us guidance on how we can structure ideas and evidence. Niklas and Clay walk through some of the common peer review article formats, and discuss formats for other forms of academic writing, such as Ph.D kappas, home exam papers and course essays. We really tried to think of a more interesting title for this episode, but it is what it is!

*Disclaimer: Niklas and Clay are not Copyright lawyers, nor do we hold a background in law. We are generally discussing issues to be aware of when using digital media in an academic environment. As education increasingly becomes digitalised, students and educators need apply caution when creating digital educational content. Just because the Internet gives seemingly free access to a wealth of information and media, this does not mean we can freely use images, audio, or video content we find on the Web. From a lay-person perspective, Niklas and Clay discuss some potential issues that might be faced in creating lectures, digital assignments, or other educational material. Issues like use-rights, problems with redistribution, and copyright infringement. Fortunately, there is a licensing system called Creative Commons which offers educators and students a better option to freely and correctly use licensed materials. For more information, visit: creativecommons.org delrett.no There are also a number of Creative Commons image databases available for use. To find the one that is best for you, just conduct an Internet search for "Creative Commons Image Sites"

Science is commonly seen as a neutral, objective account of research studies, however science and scientific communication is also about convincing an audience. In this episode, Niklas and Clay discuss the subtle and overt ways that rhetoric is applied to scientific and academic writing in order to persuade audiences. Rhetoric is a useful tool in science, because new evidence and perspectives are always being introduced to add to, counter, or replace older ideas, theories and evidence. Interested in learning more? Visit our YouTube channel for a quick lesson in applying rhetoric: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxuRS8_BvCY&t=9s Learn about logical fallacies: https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/

Sources are integral to academic and scientific writing. As a student or researcher, sources will be your bread and butter - something you cannot live without. But what makes a good source? What should you be aware of when reading literature to support your research? Niklas and Clay take some time to go through the difference between scholarly sources, non-academic sources, gray literature, primary sources, secondary sources and more. While sources seem so obvious, there is more beneath the surface that you should direct your attention to.

We are back for our second season, and just in time for the upcoming autumn semester. Since the semester kick off is right in front of us, we thought we should talk about how we take notes. Notes when reading, notes when attending lectures, and different ways to create and collaborate with notes. Note taking seems simple, but it involves a complex array of different academic skills: critical and attentive listening, critical reading, purposefully filtering and selecting important ideas, organising and more. We hope that our discussion on note taking for in the classroom and reading gives you some useful ideas to develop your own note taking process. Season 2 update: It's Going to be All Write will now be released bi-weekly (once every two weeks). Niklas and Clay are working hard on providing lectures, webinar series, video development and other digital resources for our staff and students. We are still excited and enthusiastic to continue podcasting, so expect to get a full season worth of listening. We are looking forward to it.

We've reached the end, for now. Niklas and Clay are taking their summer holidays, so It's going to be all write will end its first season. Season two begins in August, when we are back after taking a break. This season one ender does a brief recap of some topics we covered, but also talks about the importance of having breaks. We would enjoy hearing your comments, questions, and suggestions for topics or how we can improve the podcast for season two. Feel free to contact us at writingcentre@nmbu.no See you in August for the season two kick off.

Many of us have probably heard the terms ivory tower or intelligentsia, but if you are unfamiliar with these terms, you have just experienced jargon. Jargon refers to specialised language that limits a person's understanding if that person is outside of the specialised field. This week, Niklas and Clay talk about the benefits and downsides of using jargon when writing. We go over how technical language is a form of useful jargon, and explain why complex, wordy, and pompous writing is a form of jargon that is less useful. If you have ever struggled to understand an author, there is a good chance that the author was using jargon, or writing in incomprehensible ways. There is a debate about whether academic and scientific research should be more accessible, or if it should remain jargon-laden. Our understanding is that knowing your intended audience and choosing to either sound smart or to be easily understood are choices that you need to make as an author. However, we hope this podcast gives you some clues about how to identify and even avoid excessive jargon in your writing. Resources: The Writer's Diet Test: http://writersdiet.com/test.php (http://writersdiet.com/test.php) Gunning-Fog Index: http://gunning-fog-index.com (http://gunning-fog-index.com) Thesaurus: https://www.thesaurus.com (https://www.thesaurus.com) NMBU Writing Centre on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww )

Clay is back! This week Niklas and Clay look over the last eleven weeks and talk about how we stay motivated to work, study, and podcast from a home office situation. With COVID-19 restrictions slowly being lifted in Norway, and summer holidays just around the corner, it is easy to think life will be back to normal when we return to school and work. But, many companies and universities are expected reduced office hours and capacity, meaning we should expect to have some work-from-home component to our lives as students or employees. In this episode, we discuss some different ways to stay motivated when working from home. We're all about finding and maintaining motivation and productivity through routines, time management techniques, variation and using technology to assist you. Resources For NMBU students and employees, we offer a Productivity Planner in the SWR100 Canvas room. For additional productivity planners and trackers, please visit: https://www.productiveflourishing.com/free-planners/ The Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/ Apps and browser plugins to limit distractions: https://freedom.to/blog/8-website-blockers-for-studying-productivity-focus/ (https://freedom.to/blog/8-website-blockers-for-studying-productivity-focus/) 

We've made it to Episode 10. Unfortunately, Niklas needed to celebrate alone because Clay was in course work this week. So, it's story time! Niklas shares his lived experience as both a student and an examiner, giving some helpful advice on what you can expect in an oral defence. His position as an examiner gave him inside information on how examiners think and how they may want to conduct an oral exam or defence. For anyone about to defend their research or take an oral exam, this shorter podcast is a perfect listen for you.

Science and creativity might not be two words you regularly associate. However, creativity is a large part of the scientific process. Niklas and Clay discuss their perspectives on creativity in science, research, and academic writing. From what creativity is and how to spark it, to the role creativity plays in creating new ideas and how creative writing can improve communication. We're all over the map in this episode, so hopefully there is something for everyone who wants to find some inspiration to get creative.

Most of us are familiar with IQ tests, and many people still believe that IQ is an indicator of intelligence. But, have you every considered that IQ tests only explore one way of being smart? Niklas and Clay share their experience using Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences test as a way to improve work and study habits. Multiple intelligences can be a helpful way to understand your own learning preferences, and by using your strengths you can design routines and search out information in formats that are most understandable to you. Learn more about Multiple Intelligences: https://infed.org/mobi/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-and-education/ What are your multiple intelligences? Take some of the tests below: https://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html https://personalitymax.com/multiple-intelligences-test/

Clay goes it alone this week, and shares ideas on how writing principles can make you a more confident and more engaging public speaker. Clay used to provide Defence Preparation workshops at NMBU each semester for Master students. The timing seemed right to share ideas, information and techniques for thesis defence. To learn more about thesis defence, NMBU students and employees are encouraged to use the Scientific Writing Resource Portal (SWR100) in Canvas, and look through Module 6. Thesis Defence and Publication. To learn more about rhetoric and hooks in public speaking, we encourage you to visit the following sites that analyze TedTalks: https://blog.slideshare.net/2014/07/30/set-your-hook-to-capture-your-audience https://visme.co/blog/how-to-start-a-presentation/

Niklas and Clay give their perspectives on plagiarism, information dumping and the struggles academic writers need to go through. There is a lot of information available to research students and professional researchers, and knowing how to avoid plagiarism, but also boring your reader with information dumping requires a bit of learning and skill development. The conversation touches on how different educational backgrounds and academic institutions may lead to widely different understandings of citations and referencing, but also the importance of developing an analytical mind as a researcher and writer. Resources NMBU Library's Referencing Styles https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/resources.html (Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab)) http://www.kildekompasset.no (Kildekompasset.no) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwbw9KF-ACY (A rather funny video about the dangers of plagiarism from the University of Bergen)

Abstracts are effective ways to communicate a research article or report's main contents, but abstracts also provide us with more subtle information about the intended audience, the research purpose, and the construction of ideas. Niklas and Clay break down an abstract to show you how deeper analysis can highlight important information useful to us as readers and writers. Read along and form your own opinion of the article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2176051/ (Cheng, V. C., Lau, S. K., Woo, P. C., & Yuen, K. Y. (2007). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus as an agent of emerging and reemerging infection. Clinical microbiology reviews, 20(4), 660-694.)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2176051/ ( )

Niklas and Clay pick up the pieces of their lost podcast, discussing practical approaches, tips and ideas about how to move through drafting, getting feedback and revising writing. Feedback comes in many forms, and many degrees of usefulness. Knowing when, where and how to receive helpful feedback can be beneficial to a smoother writing process.

Due to a technical error, our original podcast audio was lost. In this episode, Clay monologues about the Revision Road Map, a conceptual tool that helps you establish goals for your writing and revision process. This episode is a bit shorter, and refers to several online resources. Please follow the links below to access tools and practical examples. https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/reverse-outlining (Reverse Outlining) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXKEOXrjOQI&t=5s (Constructing cohesive paragraphs with the SEEC Structure) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIKqzSFWwss (The Writer's Diet Test) https://www.dailywritingtips.com/5-ways-to-reduce-use-of-prepositions/ (Revising prepositional phrases) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_HIQjaNJ7k&t=84s (Improving concision)

Clay stands firmly behind the idea that 95% of the work involved in academic writing isn't writing at all. An often overlooked part of the writing process is the pre-writing stage, and Niklas and Clay discuss how being well organized can help you overcome writer's block. We provide some insight into important aspects of pre-writing to improve your writing process, as well as provide some thoughts and strategies on how you can further develop your pre-writing process. Links mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB2LMgctwc5I3tLGLwPeww (NMBU Writing Centre's YouTube page) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knljtlN6mYQ (Pre-writing Webinar)

Welcome to Episode 1 of It's going to be all write. Niklas and Clay host a weekly podcast where we discuss all things academic writing related. That sounds boring, but we try not to be. The podcast is designed to share ideas, perspectives and resources on how academic and scientific writers can improve their writing processes and practices. We'll try not to be dull, and we hope our experience as educators and Academic Writing Advisors can help you find joy in writing about the microscopic, the macroscopic and everything in between. It's going to be all write is part of our work at the Norwegian University of Life Science's Writing Centre, a free support service at the University: https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/writing (https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/writing)