Collaboration with Dr. Kerstin Minnich (scientific writing trainer & editor).

Writing laboratory is an intense practical format where participants write a complete draft of a research article in a single week, writing one major section per day (see Schedule). Extensive writing sessions are complemented with short lectures providing writing instruction as well as productivity tips. Essential part of the course are daily one-on-one sessions with one of the trainers, which comprise feedback on participants’ texts and an opportunity for discussion.

Moreover, the week-long Writing laboratory is supplemented with an online course that helps participants prepare for the Writing laboratory (4 weeks prior the intense week) and leads the participants step-by-step through the process of revising & finalizing their manuscripts (4 weeks after the intense week).

The course is best suited for both inexperienced PhD students getting ready to write their first research article as well as seasoned scientists frustrated with writing, feeling that their process is ineffective and takes too long. Participants are guided to experiment with their writing strategies, learning how to progress faster.

Weekly schedule

During the Writing laboratory week (Days 1-5), participants write one major section of a research article per day. Each participant receives daily detailed feedback from one of the trainers on the text written the previous day. On the last day, participants receive advice on revision strategies & writing productivity and create a plan for finalizing their manuscripts in a timely manner.

Day	Participants’ activity	Lecture topic	Trainer feedback
1	Write Methods	Methods; Results	Preliminary Abstract; Storyline
2	Write Results	Introduction	Methods
3	Write Introduction	Discussion	Results
4	Write Discussion	Abstract & Title	Introduction
5	Write Abstract Peer-feedback	Revising strategies	Discussion

Daily schedule

Each morning begins with a short warm up, and continues with structured writing sessions. The lecture and one-on-one feedback sessions with a trainer are scheduled in the afternoon.

Time	Activity
9:00 — 9:15	Warm up
9:15 — 10:30	Writing
10:30 — 11:00	Coffee break
11:00 — 12:30	Writing
12:30 — 13:30	Lunch break
13:30 — 15:00	Writing*
15:00 — 15:30	Coffee break
15:30 — 16:00	Lecture
16:00 — 16:45	Writing*
16:45 — 17:00	Closing round

*Parallel trainer feedback sessions (30min per participant)

Participant preparation

In order to maximally benefit from the Writing Laboratory and finish the first draft during the course, participants should come to the course well prepared:

• All data should be collected, analyses finished and figures (& other display objects) created.
• To guide their writing, participants are asked to bring to the course a preliminary Abstract as well as 1-2 research articles from their field published in their target journal.
• Prior to the course, we recommend to discuss with the co-authors the intended main message / storyline, figures & tables, and evtl. further details of the manuscript.
• Especially for first-time authors, we suggest to prepare the relevant literature in advance, as well as note down (some of) the points for the Introduction & Discussion section.

About the trainers

Dr. Martina Michalikova is a biologist and computational neuroscientist who obtained her doctoral title in 2016 from the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. During her PostDoc period she acquired further qualification as a writing consultant specializing in scientific writing in English as a second language. Since 2017, she is working as a freelance trainer in scientific writing & publishing, giving workshops, leading writing groups, and providing individual writing support as a coach & consultant.

Dr. Kerstin Minnich is a biologist who obtained her doctoral title in Human Biology at the Ulm University Hospital, followed by a postdoctoral research period at the Leibniz Institute on Aging in Jena in the fields of endocrinology, immunology and cancer biology. In 2016, she founded the editing service LIFE SCIENCE WRITING. Additionally, she completed a writing consultant training at the University of Education Freiburg. Besides editing scientific texts, she is now working as an individual writing coach and giving workshops on scientific writing for students, PhD candidates and postdocs in life sciences.

Comments from previous participants

I learned SO MUCH! Now I know how to get organized and write a manuscript in a short time.

I strongly advice other colleagues to join the course. I saw myself doing within 5 days things that I would never have been able to do within a month!

I took home that there are so many helpful things that could be implemented within the department / groups like more structured revising / correcting of papers, regular peer feedback rounds or writing sessions.