7 Days workshop on “Scientific and Technical Writing”

• To familiarize students with the basic features and functionality of tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Origin & ChemDraw.
• To develop and improve the scientific and technical writing skills in the participants.
• To sensitize the participants on Issues related to plagiarism and ethics in scientific writing.

A 7 days workshop on “Scientific and Technical Writing” was organised by the IISU Chemical Association in the Department of Chemistry from 13 to 19 March 2023 as a part of the celebration of National Science Week. Different sessions on different topics were taken by the faculties of the Department of Chemistry and explained the handling and usage of different Microsoft tools and software. In this series, a guest lecture was also organized on “Scientific Writing-Essentials of Writing a Scientific Report” by Prof. Neelima Gupta from the University of Rajasthan. Different topics covered in this 7 Days workshop are-

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Speaker for the session 1 on Day 1 was Dr. Priyanka Jain.
Dr. Priyanka Jain conducted a session on Microsoft Word formatting, covering various features and tools. The session began with an introduction to formatting options such as font styles and sizes, emphasizing their impact on document presentation. Paragraph formatting was explained, focusing on indentation, alignment, and spacing. The use of styles and themes to maintain consistency throughout documents was highlighted, simplifying the formatting process. Insertion and editing tools such as text boxes, shapes, symbols, pictures, and hyperlinks were introduced, with specific applications for dissertations and seminars. The session also included reviewing tools for collaborative editing, proofreading, and feedback, including spell check, grammar check, track changes, and comments. Overall, the participants benefited from the session, gaining knowledge and skills to create professional and visually appealing academic materials. They were able to apply the techniques learned to enhance the quality and presentation of their work.

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Speaker for the session 2 on Day 2 was Dr. Lav Varma

Dr. Lav Varma conducted a session on Microsoft PowerPoint, focusing on creating effective presentations. He emphasized the importance of well-structured and visually appealing presentations that engage the audience. The session included real-time demonstrations, allowing participants to practice the techniques. Key topics covered were effective slide design, including clear content, fonts, colours, and relevant visuals. The concept of master slides was explained to maintain consistent formatting. Animation and transition effects were demonstrated, with guidance on their appropriate usage. Efficient use of the PowerPoint ribbon and shortcut keys was taught to streamline the creation process. Slide organization tips were provided, emphasizing logical structure and visual hierarchy. Participants gained practical  skills and confidence to create impactful presentations using PowerPoint's tools and features.

Speaker for the session 3 on Day 3 was Dr. Priyanka Jain

Dr. Priyanka Jain conducted a demo session on the powerful features of Microsoft Excel during the third day of the workshop. Participants were guided on graph preparation and mathematical calculations in Excel. Dr. Jain emphasized the importance of organizing data in a tabular format for easy graph creation and introduced various chart types suitable for different data types. Participants learned to customize chart appearance for improved readability. Mathematical calculations were covered using formulas, functions, and cell referencing. Participants gained knowledge of basic operations, built-in functions, and efficient application of formulas to multiple cells. Excel's data analysis tools, such as sorting, filtering, and conditional formatting, were introduced to enhance data interpretation. The session equipped participants with skills for effective data analysis and presentation using Excel's features.

Speaker for the session 4, Dr. Deepak Singh Rajawat demonstrated the usage of Origin, a data analysis and graphing software widely used in scientific research and data visualization. He provided a comprehensive overview of Origin and demonstrated various methods for plotting graphs such as line plots, scatter plots, bar charts, histograms and more. He also explained detailed customization of graph elements such as axis labels, adjusting colours, changing plot style, adding titles, grid lines, legends, error bars, and annotations. Advanced features of Origin such as 3 D plotting, contour plots, and multi-panel graphs were also demonstrated, which are particularly useful for visualizing complex data sets.  Throughout the session, Dr. Rajawat provided hands-on demonstrations, allowing participants to follow along and practice the techniques being taught. By the end of the session, participants gained a thorough understanding of Origin and its data analysis and graphing capabilities.

The speaker for the session on Day 5 was Dr. Neelima Gupta, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. She has given a lecture on "Essentials of Writing a Scientific Report". Dr. Gupta's lecture provided participants with valuable insights into the process of scientific writing and its importance for the future of research. She highlighted the importance of writing a well-structured scientific document, which provides an overview of the research and its objectives. Participants learned how to effectively summarize their research work concisely. She explained how a comprehensive review of existing research helps identify the research gap, builds a strong theoretical foundation, and supports the significance of the study. Dr. Gupta also explained the importance of accurate referencing and introduced participants to various citation styles commonly used in scientific writing, such as ACS and IEEE. The lecture concluded with a Q&A session. Dr  Gupta addressed a range of queries, further enhancing the  participants' understanding of the topic.

Overall, Dr. Gupta's guest lecture on the essentials of writing a scientific report provided valuable insights and knowledge to the participants. The lecture shed light on the challenges and opportunities in the field of research and highlighted the significance of effective scientific writing. The organizers expressed their gratitude to Dr. Gupta for sharing her valuable insights and expressed hope for more such lectures in the future.

On the final day of the workshop, Dr. Manisha Patni conducted a demonstration on the use of ChemDraw software to create and explore organic structures. Dr. Patni's expertise in using ChemDraw and her effective teaching approach made the session highly informative and accessible to participants. During the demonstration, Dr. Patni demonstrated the step-by-step process of drawing various organic structures. She also explained how to manipulate and modify existing structures using editing tools. She also demonstrated some keyboard shortcuts and commands t increase the efficiency in creating chemical structures. Dr. Patni explained, how to depict the aspects of stereochemistry accurately in ChemDraw, Dr. Patni demonstrated the use of ChemDraw to draw reaction schemes and provided practical examples and real-time visuals. In addition to the drawing capabilities, Dr. Patni also highlighted other features of ChemDraw, such as molecule searching, chemical property prediction, and spectral analysis. Apart from this, Dr. Lav Varma also explained different ways of sharing the files via google drive and other methods also. Dr. Varma provided insights into various methods of sharing files, including Google Drive and other alternative methods. Participants gained practical knowledge on how to effectively share their files with colleagues, collaborators, or other stakeholders.

By the end of the session, participants were equipped with the ability to accurately represent various organic compounds, chemical reactions and prediction of their chemical properties and spectral analysis. They also learned how to leverage the benefits of cloud storage and collaboration tools to enhance their productivity and streamline their workflow.

At the end of every session, assignments were given to the students. They completed the assignments and submitted to the respective resource persons.

After the workshop, Dr. Manisha Patni, the Head of the Chemistry Department, expressed her gratitude to all the participants and extended a warm vote of thanks. Dr. Patni acknowledged the active participation and enthusiasm displayed by the students throughout the workshop.

Dr. Patni also expressed her appreciation for the faculty members who dedicated their time and efforts to organize and conduct the workshop. Their expertise and guidance provided valuable insights to the participants, enhancing their understanding and knowledge in the field of chemistry.

Furthermore, Dr. Patni highlighted the significance of the workshop in providing practical knowledge, fostering critical thinking skills, and promoting collaborative learning among the participants. Both students and teachers benefitted from the informative sessions and interactive discussions, which further enriched their understanding of the subject matter. The informative and helpful nature of the workshop ensured that it was a valuable experience for all involved.

The workshop ended on a positive note, leaving a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment among the participants.

Outcome: The workshop was a resounding success. The workshop provided valuable insights, enhanced understanding, and practical skills to the participants. It fostered critical thinking, collaborative learning, and promoted effective scientific and technical writing. The participants left the workshop with a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment, making it a valuable and enriching experience for all involved.