The hardest part for a PhD student curriculum is the writing of the thesis manuscript. The Publications and Communications (International or National) are integral parts of scientific research and a solid record with quality publications is the basis of a successful research career. For people as for institutions, publications constitute the most important measure of the production of the research and are an essential means of gaining the impact of research. Despite the importance of publications, PhD students (and permanent researchers) learn rarely how to write good scientific papers and reports, and many scientists experience difficulties with this essential aspect of their research. The purpose of this workshop is to provide participants with the methodology and tools necessary for a successful thesis or publication.Ensure an understanding of the culture of scientific publishing and why it is important to publish. The main objectives of EMAiD project are; Development of the skills needed to write a thesis and write well-structured and easy-to-read scientific articles, including the ability to be precise, clear, concise and interesting. Establishment of an appreciation of the protocols and ethics of scientific publication. Acquirement of the skills, knowledge and confidence to publish articles in selected journals to maximize the impact of their research, as well as the ability to promote research results thanks to clearer written messages, the reduction of cases of ambiguity and bad communication, a better understanding of the conventions of scientific writing and publishing.
I do not necessarily agree that the thesis is the hardest bit, although it is nowadays supposed to constitute the majority of the effort in getting the PhD diploma. The PhD courses that (at least) plenty of math subjects require necessitate spending about half of the required time (of the in total four years of PhD studies). Now, I am not saying that the thesis is easy to write - in all fairness I think the students these days clearly often are less prepared for the task of writing scientific papers than those students that came before us, and that I think has something to do with the fact that writing is so much easier, so students simply do not grasp that "math speak" is very precise, with its own remarkable clarity when it is written by very talanted scholars. (The fact that we have so efficient means to produce math through LaTeX, etc. can also be a problem - the result always looks good - but is it correct, and is written in the right manner for the purpose?)
EMAID appears to me to be just another name for what we have done for decades within the partnership between a senior advisor and a PhD student, but to be sure I would need to know more about it. And the fact that you mention "easy-to-read" makes me suspicious - I am not saying that "if it was hard to prove this theorem, then it is ok that it is also difficult to understand it for a reader" - I am quite keen on the thesis being accessible - but I do not think that most scholars will be able to make it accessible to the masses. I also think that the purpose of the PhD studies is not only to "manufacture" a research scholar but quite clearly uphold society's level of expertize.
Dear Michael
I agree with the first part of your answer but when it comes to write a thesis or a paper, PhD students can give the best and the worst...because all the story begins at early ages in first school, home, ...old generations have better writing style while most young PhD students have more difficulties ....
So the idea of EMAiD team is not an innovation in itself as it relies on team building techniques. We try in 3 days training sessions to give PhD students the most usefull tools (depending on their profile (scientific, technologist, Medical, ...) to help them finalize their research.
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