Research Communication: The Course

"Research Communication:
EFL for Scientists & Engineers"
by J D White
[中文版]
Textbook Homepage

Research Communication: The XTOP Conference

Objective: To provide the skillbase necessary for Graduate Students in Science and Engineering to communicate effectively in six key areas:

  1. One-to-One Social Interaction at Conference Receptions
  2. One-to-One Correspondence with Western Research Collaborators
  3. Listening to Lectures by Visiting Scientists
  4. Reading Scientific Journals
  5. Organizing and Writing Scientific Papers
  6. Presenting Orally at an International Conferences: Speaking Skills and Making Viewgraphs

Approach: The complete text consists of 4 main modules designed to be studied using the communicative methodology. Each module, requiring 18-27 hours of group study (or classroom time) depending on depth of coverage, focuses on a different aspects of the communication process. While all four modules can be taught over one year (two 18 week semesters having 2 or 3 hours of classes per week), individual modules can be selected for specific courses or to fit student needs.

Modules: (Contents, Timeline, Evaluation Items)

  •   Basic Oral Skills: One-to-One Social Interaction at Conference Receptions + Listening to Lectures by Visiting Scientists
  •   Basic Written Skills: Cluster diagramming, Editing, One-to-One Correspondence with Western Research Collaborators + Reading Scientific Journals
  •   Advanced Written Skills: Writing Research Papers: Organizing and Writing Scientific Papers: From Short Communications to Full Length Research Papers
  •   Advanced Oral Skills: Presenting Orally at an International Conferences: Speaking Skills and Viewgraphs

    About the Author: Born in Oakville, Canada, Jonathon David White (白小明) has since lived in many other countries. Even during his undergraduate days at McMaster University, he already had a cosmopolitan outlook on life, being active in the Chinese Christian Fellowship. After obtaining his Ph.D., also from McMaster University, he worked and taught in China, Japan, and Taiwan – where he met and married Sharon Wu (Xiuman) – and then Malaysia at Multimedia University. After 4 years (1999-2003) in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the Melaka campus of Multimedia University, he moved with his family to Taiwan. He is now an Associate Professor at Yuan Ze University. He and his wife have one daughter, Charity Grace (Ai-en) and two sons, Johanne (You-en) and Leon (Li-en). During his career he has authored a number of scientific papers and one textbook entitled "Structuring data and building algorithms -- an ANSI-C based approach" published by McGraw-Hill.
          As in all endeavors, the work presented here is not just the work of one person but rather a group of people, all making their respective contributions. Huang Yu-Shyuan (黃彧旋) helped to create many of the illustrative cartoons in the textbook. Wu Sao Mao (吳紹懋), Chen Nien-Po (陳念波), and Rudolf B. Blazek worked on revising and generalizing the materials. Cathy Lee (李桂仁), Andy Chung (張悅頎) and Xin-Yu Lin (林信宇) put in many hours working on the FLASH visuals that accompany this book.

    Ordering the Textbook, Teaching Notes and Multimedia Aids: The text and student workbook (Preface, TOC) can be ordered from CreateSpace or from Amazon.com. Users of the textbook may freely download the FLASH based viewgraphs with audio to guide their own study or in facilitating classroom interactions. Teachers and facilitators may request an evaluation copy of the textbook along with teaching notes and multimedia teaching aids directly from the author by email at whitejd @ xiaotu dot com or by smail at Jonathon David White, Dept of Electrical Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan 320 Taiwan.

    Software: The following software has been developed to help students in applying the lessons in this class.

  •   Cluster Diagram Software (Basic Written Skills Module)
  •   Linear Outliner Templates (Advanced Writing Skills Module) (preferred: OpenOffice 3.x; alternates: MS-Word or OpenOffice 1.x)
  •   Skim Reading Test (for Basic Written Skills Module)
  •   Reference Manager Software (for Advanced Written Skills Module)

    Other:

  •   Yuan Ze University Specific Information
  •   Software
          -   jEdit (Free) (For Text, C-language and HTML file editing)
          -   Gantt Chart Software (Free) (For planning your Research Project)
          -   Open Office Software (Free) (For writing up your Research Results)
  •   Minimal Pairs to help your improve pronounciation [Complete List]   [Listen (British English)]   [Listen and Test Yourself (American English)]
  •   Music with Clear Lyrics (Use in breaks or before class)
  •   For Facilitators:
          -   Student Mark Cards: [Basic Oral] [Basic Written] [Advanced Written] [Advanced Oral]
          -   Spreadsheet to Calculate marks: (OpenOffice 2.x)
          -   Sample Paragraphs for Mixed up Paragraph Activity
          -   Guidelines for Tutors
          -   Viewgraphs     		Link to Viewgraphs

    Conference: The Annual XTOP Conference of Science and Engineering held at universities in Taiwan provides an opportunity for graduate students in the related fields of engineering, science and medicine to present their research work in English to their peers in a friendly setting. The conference thus endeavours to promote technical exchange in English among graduate students providing motivation for students to improve their English Presentation skills. It is the goal of this course to help students to meaningfully participate.

    		Order from CreateSpace
    Order from Amazon.com.
    © Jonathon David White (Bai XiaoMing)
    - "With a Servant's Heart" -
    Office: Yuan Ze University Building 7 Room 70740,
    Tel: 886-3-463-8800x7011-740#
    Lab: Yuan Ze University Building 7 Room 70723,
    Email: whitejd @ xiaotu dot com
    Last updated: 08/11/2010