Module: 3
Sponsoring Program: Biophysics/CCB/Tetrad/PSPG
Administrator: Nicole Flowers

STUDY LIST INFORMATION
Course Number: BP 219/CCB 219/Biochem 210/PSPG 219
Course Name: Special Topics
Units: 3
Grading Option: S/U
Course Director: James Fraser

MORE COURSE INFORMATION
Other faculty: TBD
Dates: May 10 - May 28
Schedule: M - F, 9 - 10 am
Maximum Class Size: 12

Course Description: By far, the most widely accepted means of communication is through publishing papers in scientific journals. The process of peer review plays an important role in refining the body of work prior to final publication. Yet, peer review is rarely taught to students in a formal setting, and is largely dependent on individual labs and mentors, leading to variable standards of peer review. Reflecting the evolution of technology, society and scientific culture, preprints have gained popularity in the life sciences in recent years, resulting in a shift in how progress in the life sciences is communicated, and raising questions of how we, as a scientific community, may work towards optimizing the peer review process in the life sciences. This class will use preprint servers (for example, BioRxiv) as a platform for formally teaching students how to peer review manuscripts in a critical and constructive way. Student will compose reviews that will be posted (either named or anonymously through James Fraser acting as an "editor") as comments associated with the preprint on BioRxiv.