ATBC 2020 Webinar Series in Tropical Ecology and Conservation: Webinar IIb

Writing Skills in Tropical Biology and Conservation

AUGUST 20, 2020 | 3-5PM (EST)

Scientists are writers. We may not be perceived as writers or feel like we are, but every step of the scientific process requires writing. From the proposal that establishes the theoretical framework and hypotheses which are the argument/justification for funding and/or committee approval to the final published paper. We even have to write about what we will talk about in our presentations through the Abstract. Scientists are constantly writing the story of our work. In this webinar, our panelists will share insights to the writing process and will focus on (i) the grant proposal, (ii) preparing your first scientific paper and finally, (iii) publishing your results.

Moderators

How to write a successful grant proposal

Lisa Davenport, Chair, ATBC Grants & Awards Committee, USA

You have some wonderful ideas to start off doing your own science, but you need funds to get it going. How do you “sell” this idea to a grant review committee? How much should you emphasize the background of what is already known, the “novel” parts of your work, or the workplan for how you will conduct your own study? Writing a successful grant is equal parts luck, insight into the funder, and presenting yourself as best as you can. We will discuss winning strategies and some traps as well. We will draw especially from ATBC’s own grants and awards programs, so if you’ve applied to one, and want to try again, or want to try for the first time, this is DEFINITELY a workshop and discussion for you.

Preparing your first scientific paper

Imma Oliveras, ATBC Climate Change Thematic Group, and University of Oxford, UK | @olpetita

Do you have an ongoing research project and are you considering writing a scientific publication out of it? Is it your first manuscript? If so, or if you are thinking about writing your first scientific paper sometime in the future, this talk is for you. The talk will highlight some simple but (hopefully) useful tips for the endeavour.

Publishing your scientific results

Jennifer Powers, Biotropica Editor-in-Chief, and University of Minnesota, USA | @jennifer_pow

Congratulations--- you wrote your first manuscript! Now the hard part starts. How do you choose a journal? What happens once you submit your manuscript? How do you revise a manuscript? We will explore all of these questions with a view towards de-mystifying the publication process.