Improving levels of literacy in science undergraduates

Description

The ability to write concisely and clearly is essential for a science undergraduate. To assess deep-level understanding requires students to express themselves well. Many students are leaving school with little knowledge of basic grammar and punctuation. A-level science courses do not provide students with the writing experience required for a science degree, and this will worsen as new changes to science curricula are introduced. This proposal will run a pilot teaching programme, assessing undergraduates in their ability to write, and using small-group teaching to give them intensive practise in writing at the beginning of their course. The results will be used to look at literacy teaching across the Faculty of Science at the University of East Anglia.

Outcomes and Downloads

• Bulletin 25 (Summer 2008) article, Developing students writing skills: The Science Log
• Transition Issues for Bioscientists/Scientists event presentation at UEA, Teaching mathematics and literacy to first year students

• Fundamental Problems, a 2 July 2009 Times Higher Education article, written by Harriet Jones presents her experiences at University of East Anglia on the numeracy and literacy skills of first year bioscience students

Links

Related items:

• Do School Curriculum Pressures Prevent Independence? Bioscience Bulletin 21
• The Essay Writing Guide: A Guide by Students for Students, written by students at the University of Exeter and aimed at bioscience students.
• Centre for Scientific Literacy - Write Now, CETL
• Biomaths - Numeracy and Mathematical Literacy