The Life Science Zurich Writing Lab – Peer-Learning and Training Spaces Empowering Biology Students to Write More and Better

Innovative project idea

Scientists must master the art of scientific writing to effectively communicate their research. Getting there requires education and training. The Life Science Zurich (LSZ) Writing Lab aims at improving the quality of scientific writing among biology students at the University of Zurich. To reach this goal, it implements digital and traditional tools that facilitate student-to-student learning, training, and sustained motivation. The core innovation is the LSZ AllWrite app, which will allow students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their scientific writing and engage in peer-learning activities.

Benefits for students and teaching at UZH

The LSZ Writing Lab provides a scientific writing knowledge base and training platform to advanced BSc, MSc, and PhD students. Students learn from students in weekly Writes & Bites brown-bag lunches and in discussion or writing groups that they join via the LSZ AllWrite app. The LSZ Writing Lab provides physical and virtual spaces for writing without distraction. It invites external speakers for Special Seminars and offers biannual Writing Retreats to PhD students. Teachers of subject-specific modules can use the LSZ Writing Lab to integrate a form of scientific writing into assessment.