SMS 691, Professional Habits of Mind Spring 2011Course Mechanics as of 10 March 2011 1SMS 691 Marine Science SeMinarProfeSSional HabitS of Mind:conceiving, doing, evaluating and coMMunicating Scientific reSearcH(SeM 3170)WHo, WHere, WHen:Dr. Pete JumarsOffices in 355 Aubert Hall and the Darling Marine CenterPhones (207): 592-0717, cell; 581-4381, Orono; 563-3146 x.242, DMC (from Orono campus direct dial 1-3321 x.242)e-mail: [email protected] Time: 1300 - 1500 hours, FridaysPlace: Room 354 Aubert HallN.B.: Module 1 and 2 will not be offered until Fall 2011. They will emphasize learning of fundamentals in marine social and natural science through case studies.courSe deScriPtion (WHat):SMS 691 is a graduate seminar covering professional conduct as currently practiced in the marine sciences. Value gained from this course depends on engagement; what you get out depends on what you put in. Engagement with all class topics is expected. I recognize that due to research or other commitments, graduate students may not be able to attend all class sessions. Nevertheless, you are expected to contribute to all class discussions and exercises and are responsible for obtaining and understanding material covered when you are unable to attend.Module 3: Developing professional habitsPractice SI/NIST. Plan for life-long learning; join a society. Develop your philosophy of science. Take tips on teaching. Good and bad ideas, theses and hypotheses. Practice numeracy. Good and bad graphics. Using the www. Scientific ethics. Giving talks. Scientific writing and where to publish it.Module 4: Application of the methods of scienceUsing skills from Module 3, in Module 4 students will write a short preproposal for their graduate research, evaluate each other’s preproposals, write an NSF-format proposal to fully develop ideas revised by feedback on the preproposal, evaluate each other’s proposals, prepare a poster on their proposals and evaluate those posters.courSe goalSThrough this course students will:1) consciously develop professional habits of mind;2) become aware of resources for continuing development;3) learn to avoid the most common pitfalls in communication and ethics;4) examine routine and unusual problems in scientific ethics;5) practice constructive peer review; and,6) build skills in writing and reviewing.SMS 691, Professional Habits of Mind Spring 2011Course Mechanics as of 10 March 2011 2The course will explicitly provide:(1) links and/or lectures and discussion to establish a minimum expectation of performance; (2) examples of the most frequent problems or violations so they need not be repeated;(3) resources and references for continued learning; and(4) discussion of ambiguous or tricky ethics cases selected by the instructor and the students.Grades will be based on:Topic Percentage of grade Due dateParticipation 25 weekly (not weakly)Abstract 15 21 MarchReviews of abstracts 10 28 MarchPoster or talk 15 08 or 22 AprilProposal 20 29 AprilProposal review 15 06 MayA class website has been started at: <http://www.umaine.edu/marine/people/sites/pjumars/classes/SMS_691/>. If you forget the link, you can find it by Googling {jumars}.SMS 691, Professional Habits of Mind Spring 2011Course Mechanics as of 10 March 2011 3Course ScheduleWeek Date Topics1 14 JanProfessionalism: Knowledge, creativity, skills and habitsLifelong learning: Join a scientific society sooner, not laterPhilosophy of science: Develop yours2 21 JanSnow Day...3 28 JanParticipating in meetings: when and how to do itCreating new problems: ideas, theses and hypotheses Critiquing hypotheses: they aren’t all good4 04 FebSoftware and numeracy (Matlab, Mathematica, etc.)Graphics standards; file formats; fontsGetting materials from, and putting materials on, the wwwScience ethics: basicsYour discussion of one good and one not-so-good hypothesis (up to 2 slides allowed)5 11 FebScience ethics: difficult issuesDiscussion of your science ethics questions and issues6 18 FebScience communication: Talks / VideoScience writing: overview with a focus on abstracts; where to publishEthics discussion continues7 25 FebProposal writing: Good ideas and hypotheses; why now, why this approach and why me25 Feb - 14 Mar, Spring Break8 18 MarStrategies: designing research programs and careersReviewing: manuscripts and proposals21 MarProposal abstracts due9 25 Mar Teaching insights from Jeffrey St. John28 Mar Reviews of proposal abstracts due10 01 AprScientific communication: Posters / Prep for Mini symposiumDiscussion of proposal abstracts and reviews 11 08 AprScience writing: Proposals vs. primary literature vs. popular writingDraft posters due12 15 AprPoster critique: Prep for Mini symposium13 22 AprTalks: Prep for Mini symposium14 29 Apr Proposals due06 May Reviews dueGraduate Symposium – 9 and 10