Here you will find a summary of resources from other universities and institutions, as well as adapted sections of our own BSc Earth Science writing manual that may offer a quick guide to get you started. Because scientific writing is one of the most common (and sometimes most challenging) methods of exchanging scientific ideas and knowledge, many articles and books have already been written about it over the last decades. At the end of this module you will find a bibliography consisting of the resources used in this module as well as other useful literature. We recommend you have a look at some of these resources to gain more detailed insight into the aspects of scientific writing that you struggle with most.

Before you get started, have a look at the table of contents and try to assess which part of the writing process is most challenging to you and which parts you expect to be easier. Write down for yourself what you would like to gain from this module. Be critical of your skills and try to keep an open mind throughout. Next continue by working through the chapters that you feel could improve your skills the most. Do not attempt to work through this module from start to finish without making a self-assessment first. In that way, you risk losing focus on the parts you could improve most on.  

Each chapter will start by listing the learning outcomes of that chapter. Do they correspond to those you set for yourself? Read through the chapters, check out the references of subjects you would like to learn more about, and review at the end of each chapter whether you have achieved the outcomes predicted at the beginning of the chapter. If not, go back to the parts you have not yet mastered and see what you can do to improve.