NES8320 : Writing for Policy (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Philip McGowan
- Lecturer: Dr Fabrice Stephenson, Dr Pete Robertson, Dr Sarah Coulthard
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide students with a sound understanding of the ways in which science can be communicated in writing to policy-makers so that the science is accessible and as helpful in informing policy as possible. These ways include, but are not restricted to, policy briefs, assessments and their Summaries for Policy Makers, and scientific papers on particularly policy-relevant issues or that fill gaps in knowledge that policy makers have prioritised
Outline Of Syllabus
A series of lectures and seminars will introduce essential principles of writing and effective communication, drawing on a range of policy process that seek to enhance the transfer of policy-relevant science into the policy arena. These include global assessments of scientific knowledge on broad issues, such as the IPBS assessments and their Summaries for Policy Makers, and national level syntheses on particular topics, such as the UK governments series of POST notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.
Workshops will then allow students to deepen their understanding of writing for policy in one or more of the various approaches outlined above. This will provide the basis for each student to develop a piece of writing (n a relevant and agreed format) that is aimed to inform policy- and/or decision-makers about a policy-relevant issue.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Completion of science writing assessment (e.g. policy brief, POST note, scientific paper) |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Preparation for and completion of reflective log on skills development |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | Introduction to module and lectures |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | Reviewing lecture material ahead of class |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Reading materials on science writing for policy in particular contexts |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 25 | 1:00 | 25:00 | Directed reading from list provided |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Workshops where students gain experience of writing science for policy in various formats |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Drop-in session to help with applying principles to practice |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Student-led discussion on science writing for policy in particular contexts |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 70:00 | 70:00 | Deepening topic specific knowledge and understanding of the science-policy landscape and issues around that topic |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Reading (non-guided list) |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching is designed to support attainment of the knowledge and skills outcomes necessary for students to write documents for policy makers that communicate scientific findings. Lectures will be used to introduce essential principles, ideas and factual information on the communication of science to policy. Workshops will be used to deepen knowledge and understanding of the process and the key factors to be considered, through group discussion supported by background research and reading. Independent study is important for students to build on the knowledge and understanding introduced in lectures and developed in workshops, first through targeted reading of relevant material and then through student-led discussion of that material and supportive development of the assessment.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 100 | Individual piece of scientific writing (2500 words maximum) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective log | 1 | M | Individual reflection on skill development (max. 500 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment allows the students to demonstrate the communication of science to policy by producing a piece of written work. The format and topic of each submission will be discussed and agreed with each student.
Students have the opportunity to reflect on skills development in the formative assessment and will then develop their individual written pieces of writing following the feedback received.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES8320's Timetable