INDEPTH Events

An International Network of field sites with continuous Demographic
Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in developing countries

INDEPTH Workshop on Scientific Writing

6-10 December 2004

Accra, Ghana

Aim of Workshop

The aim of the INDEPTH Workshop on Scientific Writing is to expand the possibilities for scientists in INDEPTH member sites to get good results published. The workshop will give our scientists information on the structure of a scientific paper that will make their work more likely to be accepted by the journal of their choice.

Specific Objectives

To help scientists in INDEPTH sites develop the ability to communicate their thoughts effectively through writing.

To build skills for writing in peer-reviewed journals.

To understand how the peer-review process works and to gain some experience of peer-review on own writing.

To facilitate peer-review and feedback on a set of DSS focused papers among developing country researchers and practitioners

Expected Outcomes

It is proposed that the skills built in this workshop will be used to prepare papers for scientific publication with international peer-reviewed journals. Participants will be assisted in thinking through appropriate journals to which to submit their papers.

The workshop will aim to leave authors with advice and comments on how to complete their papers and will agree a timetable for final submission.

Participants

Participants for this workshop will be drawn primarily from among researchers working in INDEPTH member sites. The INDEPTH Secretariat will fund participants from 15 member sites on a competitive basis.

Staff at INDEPTH sites who have once been funded as young scientists to present posters / oral presentations at INDEPTH annual general and scientific meetings and who need assistance to complete their work, are encouraged to take part in this selection process.

Pre-Workshop Process

Participants to the workshop will be expected to participate in the pre workshop process to qualify for sponsorship for the workshop. This will include:

Initial application – titles and abstracts, by 30 September 2004

Submission of draft papers for a scientific journal of no more than 4,000 words, dealing with DSS work, by 15 October 2004. (Those who are unable to submit a paper by this date will not be considered for participation in the workshop).
A selection committee will identify only 1 paper from each and every INDEPTH site with greatest interest and potential and will send these to participants and independent peer reviewers for comments. These will be returned to authors along with comments and the committee's decision about which papers will be incorporated in the Writers Workshop.

Successful candidates will bring the drafts and comments for discussion and further development during the Workshop.

Participants must bring to the workshop a laptop plus copies of all references they are drawing on most heavily in writing their paper.