SCIENCE-WRITING WORKSHOPS



COACHING IN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Science-writing and media-skills workshops
now available worldwide

AWPA

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For details of this month's freelance science-writing workshop in Victoria, Australia, please click here

After broadcasting and writing about science for more than two decades for some of the world's foremost media organisations, an internationally acclaimed science writer and broadcaster, Peter Spinks, MA, is sharing his knowledge and experience with the scientific community.

Specifically, he is offering science-writing and media-skills workshops to selected universities, research organisations and technology or engineering companies around the world. The aim is to teach practising scientists, technologists and managers the basic techniques and strategies needed to convey their work to the media, government, research-funding bodies and the public.

Might such training benefit some of your organisation's staff or students? Acquainting them with journalistic methods and "the rules of the game" will instil in scientists and project leaders the confidence and media savvy needed to project their messages clearly and simply.

Peter's comprehensive and widely acclaimed workshops cover the fundamental principles of science communication. They provide hands-on training in preparing short articles, features, media releases and illustrative material for various outlets, including in-house publications, international media and the Internet.

In addition, the courses groom participants for science interviews (by the print and broadcast media), which are recorded on audio- or videotape and then reviewed in class. Role-play exercises are used to train participants in handling media inquiries. Key legal issues affecting researchers and the media are also addressed.

There is a choice of workshops over two, three or four days - to be delivered on your premises at a time convenient to you. The two-day course is the most intensive, with day one devoted mainly to theory and day two to practice. The longer sessions may be designed specifically to meet your organisation's needs and goals. They include instruction in writing popular-science books and scientific journal articles.

A special one-day course on writing scientific, technical and engineering reports for clients is also available. Open-house workshops, which may be attended by participants from anywhere, are offered from time to time, depending on demand (refer below to the schedule for 2008). Also available are private lessons, customised to meet individual requirements, and courses teaching how to become a freelance science writer.

Course participants are entitled to further instruction and advice for a period of one month after each workshop is finished. During this period, people may seek further advice and instruction by telephone or email on any aspect of the workshop. The extra month would be particularly useful to those wishing to hone their skills or develop strategies for mounting comprehensive media campaigns.

Worked examples, reference materials and extensive background notes are provided at all workshops. International and interstate visitors will also receive an information pack containing maps and details of local attractions, activities and options for accommodation, wining, dining and touring.

Please click here for some examples of feedback provided by participants at previous workshops and here for a list of personal referees, including world-renowned physicist, author and broadcaster Paul Davies.

Further details are available from the workshop co-ordinator, Carola de Keijzer, at science-writing@inbox.com

Schedule (as of July 2008)

Workshops are planned in Melbourne, Sydney and Surfers Paradise (on the Gold Coast) in Australia, Geneva in Switzerland, Dublin in Ireland, London in England, Helsinki in Finland, Sao Paulo in Brazil, Bangkok in Thailand, Auckland in New Zealand and Kowloon in Hong Kong. One-day open-house workshops on writing technical reports will be held in Port Douglas, north Queensland, and Noumea, New Caledonia. Click on any of the above for more information.

To register for one of these courses, just click on your preferred city: Melbourne, Sydney, Surfers Paradise, Port Douglas, Noumea, Geneva, Dublin, London, Helsinki, Sao Paulo, Bangkok and Auckland.

An open-house course on freelance science journalism will be held during July in Romsey, Victoria, Australia. Plesae click here to register.

For a course in your area, please contact the workshop co-ordinator or telephone the workshop inquiry line on +61(Australia)-3-54295473 (Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm, Australian Eastern Standard Time). Booking is recommended as soon as possible in order to qualify for an "early bird" discount.

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