Science

  • Regional Open Science Dialogue in Southern Africa: Actionable Next Steps on Implementation for Higher Education Institutes & Stakeholders 21 March 2023
    A blended  workshop
    🔶🔶No registration fees
     
    Book your slot to physically attend  via info@tcc-africa.org  or join the meeting online by registering via here

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  • Fake Co-Authors: A New Publishing Problem 27 June 2019

    Recently I walked past my colleague’s office and noticed he was laughing. I asked him what was so funny.“I am reading about an authorship story of ‘Stronzo Bestiale’,” he chuckled. “Apparently, a US physicist (William Hoover) was struggling to publish his research in the 1980s. He overheard two Italian women refer to someone as ‘Stronzo Bestiale’. Hoover decided to resubmit his papers to the same journals that rejected them. On resubmission, he changed the title and added a fake co-author named ‘Stronzo Bestiale’. It seems his intention was to insult the editors, but instead, they missed his insult and his two papers were published. If you search for ‘Stronzo Bestiale’ on Scopus, two articles co-authored with Hoover come up.” (more…)

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  • How to Assess the Quality of Journals

    Authors wishing to publish their research aim to publish in journals with the highest ratings. Publishing in a prestigious journal not only looks good on your CV, but may also give you better career and funding opportunities. Researchers commonly use the journal impact factor (JIF) to assess overall journal quality. However, the JIF has its advantages and disadvantages. Here we describe other factors that you should consider while assessing a journal.

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  • Top 4 Tools to Create Scientific Images and Figures

    A good image or figure can go a long way in effectively communicating your results and explaining them through your manuscript. Fortunately, we have several tools that can help us effectively prepare or improvise them. Here we give you a summary of the top tools that can be used to create images and figures for scientific research publications. You can also access detailed information on some of these tools here.

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  • 9 Practical Tips to Be A Better Academic Writer

    Many graduate students are often concerned that academic writing is too difficult. This concern, however, can be eased. There are many tips a student can learn in order to become a better academic writer. This includes understanding how the writing process can help develop the necessary writing skills needed for academic and professional careers.

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  • Plan S and Transformative Agreements: Everything You Need to Know

    Plan S is an exciting development for the research community. So what exactly is Plan S?

    The key goal of Plan S is that, by 2020, publications from research funded by public grants must be published in open access journals or platforms.  Plan S also has ten principles. These cover factors such as copyright, funding and timelines. (more…)

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  • Top 5 Tips to Avoid Journal Rejection

    Journal rejection is something that every researcher faces at some point in their research career. As a researcher, rejection of your manuscript by a journal can be very discouraging after spending years planning your research, securing funding, compiling and analyzing data, etc. In this episode of Enago Academy’s podcast, we will share 5 top tips that will help you avoid journal rejection and have a successful publication journey. (more…)

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  • 10 Tips to Draft a Brief Communication

    Important research findings with ground-breaking results need to be published at the earliest. These findings are usually a part of the entire research but are often published as short or brief communications. Brief communications usually have a strict length, word count, and figure limits. Here, we provide essential tips when drafting brief communications. Are you looking to publish your research as a short/brief communication? Then don’t forget to keep the below tips in mind. (more…)

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  • Researchers should take the TCC Science Communication Course to effectively communicate Research findings 15 May 2019

    “There is no reason why we should do research, get findings on socio-political and economic issues and fail to disseminate that information to the society.” Hesbon Hansen Owilla, a lecturer and a DAAD PhD Scholar.

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  • Communicating Science: The Game is Changing

    Science carries an anachronistic burden: a dull and under-developed communication culture. This is a general problem as science needs to be communicated widely and effectively to help solving the challenges of the future. Olle Bergman, engineer-come-communicator, suggests an more progressive mindset, based on “the two Ps”: • Inject more Passion • Learn from the Professionals. With a hands-on approach, Olle Bergman demonstrates some examples from the toolbox of professional communication and points out that a movement is emerging which is breaking the conventions of the traditional scientific culture. Olle Bergman – swedish communications consultant, public speaker & professional writer with a passion for science, language, history & people. Project leader for Crastina – a network of influencers who believe science and tech can be communicated in a more engaged and professional way. Proud Polonium Foundation Ambassador.

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  • 8 top tips to help you turn your PhD thesis into an article

    Many first-time authors use the research conducted as part of their PhD or even Master’s thesis as a basis for a journal article. While that’s a logical step, the requirements for a thesis differ from those of a paper in a peer reviewed academic journal in very significant ways. Ensuring that you are familiar with these can prove the difference between acceptance and rejection… (more…)

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  • TCC trains 65 Researchers between January and February in Scientific Communication and Publishing 04 March 2018

    TCC trained 65 participants from various research programmes in Scientific Communication and Publishing and  Science Communication and Communicating to Non Scientists.

    TCC trained researchers from University of Nairobi, Gertrude Gardens Children Hospital, Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization, AGRA Alliance Research Fellows, Maasai Mara University. The training sessions were held in Kenya and we had participants from Burkina Faso, Togo, Rwanda, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin and Senegal. (more…)

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  • TCC trains 230 researchers in the 4th Quarter of 2017 in Scientific Communication and Publishing 20 December 2017

    TCC trained 230 participants from  various  research programmes in Scientific Communication and Publishing, in the 4th quarter of 2017.

    TCC trained  researchers  from University of Nairobi, Gertrude Gardens Children Hospital, AGRA Alliance, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), New Kenya Cooperative Creameries and Strathmore University . (more…)

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  • Benson Oloya: My Experience during the DAAD/TCC Training Workshop held in September 2017 in Kampala – Uganda 03 November 2017

    I  am a DAAD scholar pursuing a PhD programme in Chemistry at Makerere University, with interest in medicinal plants. I am currently working on plant species believed to have oxytocic properties.

    I was very much privileged to have been invited as one of the participants to attend the 6-day training workshop in “Scientific Communication and Publishing” organized by DAAD and Training Centre in Communication (TCC) – Africa scheduled for 17-22nd September 2017 at Eureka Place Hotel, Kampala Uganda. I can confirm that learning took place with acquisition of new skills, knowledge and change of attitude.  (more…)

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  • My Personal Lessons from the BHEARD Training Organised By TCC: Jean Claude Udahemuka 19 September 2017

    This training is a “must attend” if one wishes to be a good researcher. These days it is no longer enough to know things but one has to be able to communicate/disseminate that knowledge in the best way possible and this is what the TCC coaches have helped me with for the four days of this training.

    It was also a good occasion to meet professors from different universities in Kenya for those of us who are about to start studies in Kenyan universities. This opportunity was of paramount value especially to me. I have had time to interact and network with other students from all over Africa. I hope to get more trainings of this kind to be able to train others when I get back home. (more…)

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  • My Personal Lessons From the BHEARD Training Organised By TCC: Mukamurezi Godelieve

    During the four days of training, I am happy that I was able to enhance my skills and knowledge in different subjects related to science communication. Actually I consider this area as my weakness which needs to be improved as a research scientist.

    The most interesting part was the data analysis where we learned the basics for using SPSS, some exercise and also introduction to other software like SAS and R. The second one was scientific writing and publishing; we went through TIMRAD-C in details and, oral communication and presentation. I was so impressed by the methodology used by experienced trainers. (more…)

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  • TCC Trains Nobel Peace Prize for Agriculture Based Programme on Scientific Communication and Publishing 30 July 2017

    TCC trained 65  participants from the Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) programme on Scientific Communication and Publishing. (more…)

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  • Four Questions about Scientific Communication 09 July 2017

    Four experts in scientific communication answer four seminal questions about the best ways to communicate science to the public.

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  • Prioritise local science Journals

    SCIENCE journals have become a prime medium to expand scientific knowledge. They have been deployed since the early beginnings of scientific research. We cannot deny the fact that knowledge can only grow through the sharing of the fruits of research. Knowledge will have problem growing otherwise. And in the pursuit of scientific knowledge, journals perform an important function of curating and validating the findings generated by scientists. Over the years, journals have undeniably demonstrated their worth as effective platforms for the communication of science among peers. It is through such communication that new ideas are born. It is also through the writings in the science journals that scientific theories are enriched and improved to eventually develop into technologies which are consequently harnessed by societies for their betterment. (more…)

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  • #SciComm for the Public Good! 26 June 2017

    Science communication is defined by the aptly named journal, Scientific Communication, as “…the nature of expertise, the diffusion of knowledge, and the communication of science and technology among professionals and to the public.” (more…)

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  • Bill Nye Highlights Science’s Perception Problem

    Bill Nye “The Science Guy” has simplified the complex world of chromosomes and terrestrial layers for students across America for decades. On April 21, Netflix introduced his triumphant return to the world of science education, “Bill Nye Saves the World.” (more…)

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  • Social media for ECRs: Serious scientists can (and do!) use Twitter

    The role of social media in science has been hotly debated, with the most recent skirmish coming from a Guardian op-ed. Entitled “I’m a serious academic, not a professional Instagrammer,” the article has inspired both a “nonserious” response and ironically, its own set of hashtags: (more…)

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  • The secret to good Communication? Alan Alda shares his wisdom on Relationships and Science

    Several years ago, actor Alan Alda led about 20 engineering students at the University of Southern California in an improv session. The students gave short talks about their research and then spent three hours trying the same exercises (more…)

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  • TCC Facilitates Proposal for Funding Writeshop for FANRPAN Country Node Programme Managers 15 May 2017

    The Food Agriculture and Natural  Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) brought together  14  national node Programme Managers  to come up with a  proposal that would  be submitted to the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). This was done at the FANRPAN Common Vision Workshop, held in Nairobi from 26-27 March 2017. The focus  areas  of the proposal  was on  Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture  and  Climate Smart Agriculture. (more…)

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  • TCC offers two Courses in Communication in January and February 20 March 2017

    The Training Centre in Communication  facilitated two courses in Scientific Communication and Publishing and Communicating to Non-Scientists in January and February respectively. (more…)

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  • Scientists Need to Stop “Othering” the General Public 06 January 2017

    It wasn’t until my fourth year of research in undergrad that I had a strange thought: Am I no longer part of the “general public?” It was an exciting thought — it felt great to be part of some exclusive club in which some of the smartest people were members. My mind was consumed by my research, so much so that I found myself analyzing data and working overtime in the lab instead of studying for my last few classes I needed to graduate. I wish that I had expressed this feeling to the primary investigator of my lab, as I think he would have put things in perspective and deflated my ego. (more…)

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  • Battling bad science 05 January 2017

    Every day there are news reports of new health advice, but how can you know if they’re right? Doctor and epidemiologist Ben Goldacre shows us, at high speed, (more…)

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  • TCC Introduces Two New Courses on E-Resources and Writing Research Proposals 03 January 2017

    In a bid to fully support postgraduate students in universities, the Training Centre in Communication  has introduced two new courses , which,  help them in improving their literature  search  and proper use of e-resources  (more…)

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  • Science Communication: What it takes 01 January 2017

    Science achieves little if it stays in the lab. Here’s what you need to get it out to the world, says Jessica Eise

    Communicating about science is a noble profession, and one that’s becoming increasingly and ever more popular. Yet it isn’t the right fit for everyone. I got started in this field about five years ago, and was surprised by many of the things I needed that no one had ever mentioned. Here’s what no one ever tells you you’ll need. (more…)

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The Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) is the first award-winning African-based training centre to teach effective communication skills to scientists.

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