A reflection on communication & Modules 1-3

If I had to pick a key takeaway from 20.109, it would have to be the importance of effective communication. Over the course of the semester, I did not realize just how much practice I had with developing my scientific communication skills. Until I sat down to write this post, I'd considered each major assignment as an isolated task. However, the subsets of skills I developed in each module have culminated in a collection of tools I can use in future classes. 

During Mod1, I'd expected the Data Summary to be a fairly straightforward assignment because it only required bullet points. However, I realized that being given restrictions about transition sentences forced me to delve more deeply into the analysis of data and its implications. Each bullet point had to concisely provide new, meaningful insight. With this in mind, I was able to later organize my mini-presentation such that it conveyed a story with logical and succint comments about the module results. In essence, Module 1 gave me the opportunity to recognize what deserved space within a scientific report or presentation and what didn't. 

In the next module, I had the chance to practice communicating information visually by presenting my research article slides and creating all of the figures in my research article. The article I read for my research article presentation was probably the single scientific paper I've reread more than twice. This helped me understand not only the intricacies of the experiments themselves, but also the motivations of the authors with regards to gaps in the field and the broader implications of their work. As a result, I felt I was better prepared to share the narrative behind the paper during the journal club presentation, which made the experimental approach, results, and conclusions flow naturally. In addition, during this module, there was greater freedom with paper figure design compared to Module 1, and this helped me consider which arrangements of raw images or molecules would best accompany my written explanations. Equipped with these experiences, I felt prepared for Module 3. 

Though I have yet to present the research proposal and complete the mini-report with my lab group, I can say I've developed a stronger understanding of how to approach a research topic and determine the essential questions. This includes considerations about the scope of a topic, its novelty, and experiments or studies that could investigate the central question. Although I still have a long way to go with becoming a more competent communicator, I feel confident that the skills I've learned in 20.109 have made a difference in how I approach science. 

-Imane

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