Communication & Writing

CONTACT: Writing Centre, Subject Liaisons

Writing is a fundamental aspect of research communication, and it is important to continuously strengthen your writing skills and techniques. Writing assistance is available at any level through tutoring appointments, consultations, supplemental classes as well as workshops, events and seminars offered by the Writing Centre. The library also provides stylistic guidance and resources for writing academic research papers.

Services and tools:

• Book an appointment with a Writing Centre tutor to get writing assistance at any stage or consult the Writing Centre’s resource guide to access online resources and tips.
• Attend free workshops, events and seminars to ask questions, get help or learn more about academic writing.
• Enroll in a supplemental class to develop a greater understanding of disciplinary writing conventions and develop your writing skills.
• Consult Dalhousie Libraries’ writing guide for tips on writing academic research papers, writing abstracts as well as other writing styles.
• Learn more about academic integrity through the writing centre’s modules and seminars on plagiarism.

CONTACT: Writing Centre, Subject Liaison Librarians

Citing sources is key while communicating research. Following proper citation styles and understanding their rules will professionalize your work, comply with research and publication ethics and prevent plagiarism. The library’s resources, your subject liaison librarian and the Writing Centre can help you properly cite materials.

Services and tools:

• Book an appointment with a writing centre tutor for assistance in citing research material and documenting sources.
• Explore the Citation Style Guide and the Writing Centre Resource Guide to get assistance in selecting and correctly using a citation style.
• Consult the Archival Research guide to cite archival material or the Research Data Management guide to cite data sources.
• Contact your subject liaison for any questions or assistance needed regarding the citation style used in your discipline.

CONTACT: Writing Centre, Faculty of Graduate Studies

Writing a thesis or dissertation requires a lot of organization and planning. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Writing Centre provide guidance on writing, formatting, and presenting your thesis and dissertation.

Services and tools:

• Explore the Writing Centre Resource Guide for resources on writing theses and dissertations.
• Consult the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ website on how to format your thesis and prepare for a doctoral defense.
• For guidance on writing an abstract, consult the University of Toronto’s writing guide.
• Practice sharing and communicating your research by participating in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

CONTACT: Writing Centre, Poster printing

Creating posters and presenting your research at conferences is often an important part of the research process. Both the library and the Writing Centre provide various resources and guidance on how to create effective posters and presentations.

Services and tools:

• For one-on-one help, book an appointment with one of the writing centre’s tutors to discuss how to create and design a conference poster.
• Explore the Writing Centre’s Resource Guide to find resources for creating science poster presentations, or the African Nova Scotian Health Resource guide for information related to the creation of effective posters and the different types and designs used in presentations.
• Consult the North Carolina State University’s guide to creating effective poster presentations.
• Poster printing services are available from the Dalhousie Libraries in the Killam Library.

CONTACT: Subject Liaison Librarians

As a researcher, you will likely become involved in the peer review process as you publish your work. Resources provided outside of the library can help both students and faculty better understand the peer review process.

Services and tools:

• To learn more about the peer review process as well as providing and responding to peer reviews, consult the University Health Network Library.