International collaboration on research writing

International collaboration on research writing

Academics from Fiji, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and PNG as well as Australia will be involved in a research paper writing workshop at James Cook University in Townsville this week.

JCU and CSIRO are co-hosting the workshop, to be held at JCU’s Australian Tropical Science Innovation Precinct from tomorrow (April 9) to Friday (April 12).

JCU senior lecturer Dr Paul Nelson said the aim of the workshop was to write papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals.

“Each participant will be working on their own paper using their own data, under the guidance of Dr Chris Beadle from CSIRO and tutors from JCU and CSIRO, including myself, Dr Mike Webb, and Professor Marcus Sheaves,” he said.

Dr Nelson said Dr Chris Beadle from CSIRO would be the instructor, but the focus was on ‘learning by doing’, with participants reviewing each other’s work during the workshop.

“They will be writing up research they’ve carried out. Working on the concept, how to select the right journal, and then on the actual paper, reviewing each other’s work as they go,” he said.

“The participants will be writing up research in two main areas, both critical for tropical environments: sustainability of oil palm cultivation, and ecology and management of mangrove ecosystems.”

The research is being carried out in collaboration between JCU, CSIRO and several overseas organisations.

The workshop is funded by the Crawford Fund with support from the two research projects in which all participants are involved:

· “Sustainable management of soil and water resources for oil palm production systems in Papua New Guinea” (funded by ACIAR)

· “Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change Adaptation & Livelihoods” (funded by European Union through IUCN)

Issued: April 8, 2013

Media enquiries: Caroline Kaurila (07) 4781 4586