Scientific writing
Are you writing your Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral thesis, or any other kind of scientific text? The tasks associated with research range from finding a topic and formulating the research question, searching and managing references, reading scientific texts, structuring the paper, using scientific language, revising the text to finally publishing it. Correct citation to avoid plagiarism as well as good time and project management are also central.
We are happy to support you in your writing process and have put together an extensive range of courses and advisory services for this purpose:
Courses
- Academic project and time management: from planning to publishing
- Citing correctly – avoiding plagiarism: the safe way to the scientific text
- Get writing – overcome your writer’s block
- Mastering scientific writing with ChatGPT and other AI tools
- Ready for Take-off: how to start your Bachelor's and Master's thesis
- Revising scientific texts
- Scientific writing: Using ChatGPT effectively and responsibly
- Screen, scan, search: reading scientific texts
Moodle self-study courses
The course Ready for take-off: how to start your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis is also available on the Moodle teaching and learning platform! There you will also find all the information, in German and English.
Please check the course catalogue and Moodle to see if there are any lectures on scientific writing in your course or department.
You can find information on Bachelor’s and Master’s theses in the student portal and on doctoral theses by visiting the website of the relevant department.
In addition, the following courses and information are available to those involved in teaching:
- Courses in continuing education in teaching and learning at UZH and ETH Zurich: Didactica
Advise
Do you prefer advice tailored to your requirements? We will be happy to assist you:
- Scientific writing (Book a Librarian)
- Avoid plagiarism by knowing how to cite correctly (Book a Librarian)
Or book a external pageconsultation with a writing expert of the Language Center of UZH and ETH Zurichcall_made to obtain feedback on a selection of a few pages of your English text.
Topics
Below, you will find – sorted by subject area – points of contact, courses and references to further information provided by the ETH Library and ETH Zurich:
Check out our courses:
- Ready for take-off: how to start your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis
- Moodle course Ready for take-off: how to start your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis
- Time and project management for the Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis
Information on the topic:
- Tools for daily student life provided by the Counselling & Coaching specialist office of ETH Zurich
Check out our courses:
- Reading scientific texts
- Information and courses on the topic of Managing references
Check out our courses:
- Get writing – overcome your writer’s block
- Writing scientific papers and theses
- Revising scientific texts
Check out the courses of other providers:
- Semester courses external pageAcademic/Scientific writing in Englishcall_made of the Language Center of UZH and ETH Zurich
- Seminars on academic writing provided by the Doctoral Administration of ETH Zurich
- Introduction to LaTeX of Compicampus of IT Services of ETH Zurich
Information on the topic:
- external pageAcademic Phrasebankcall_made, University of Manchester
- DownloadChecklist revising scientific texts (PDF, 151 KB)vertical_align_bottom provided by the ETH Library
- Language style guides and glossaries provided by Corporate Communications
Check out our courses and advisory services:
- Course: Citing correctly – avoiding plagiarism: the safe way to the scientific text
- Advice: Avoid plagiarism by knowing how to cite correctly (Book a Librarian)
Avoiding plagiarism, good scientific practice
- Plagiarism: Citation Etiquette and Declaration of Originality (Student portal of ETH Zurich)
- Prevention of plagiarism
- Disciplinary procedures regarding plagiarism (Academic Services of ETH Zurich)
- Scientific integrity (Office of Research of ETH Zurich)
Information on the topic:
Citations, references, bibliographies
- external pageCite Them Rightcall_made (access only for members of ETH Zurich)
- external pageChicago Manual of Stylecall_made (access only for members of ETH Zurich)
- external pageCitation Guidecall_made of the University Library, Technical University Munich
- external pageAvoiding Plagiarismcall_made of the Excelsior Online Writing Lab
- external pagePlagiarism Overviewcall_made of the Purdue Online Writing Lab
Image rights, image licences
Information on the topic:
Publication
- Information and guidelines regarding the publication of doctoral theses
- Services related to electronic publishing provided by the ETH Library
- Information on open-access publishing provided by the ETH Library
- Information on scientific publishing provided by Corporate Communications
Communication, presentations
- Offers on media work and communications consulting provided by Corporate Communications
- Communication Academy of Corporate Communications
Career planning, letters of application
- Offers of the ETH Zurich Career Center: CV-Workshop and CV-Checks as well as video on interview training
Many universities offer extensive information about scientific writing. We have compiled a selection for you:
- external pageAdvise on Academic Writingcall_made, Writing Center at the University of Toronto
- external pageMaterials & Tipscall_made, provided by the Writing Center of TU Dresden
- external pagePurdue Online Writing Labcall_made, Purdue University
- external pageResearch Writingcall_made, Australian National University
- external pageResearcher Academycall_made, Elsevier
- external pageStudy Hub learning resourcescall_made, The University of Edinburgh
- external pageThesis Writercall_made, ZHAW
- external pageTips & tools for learningcall_made, Learning Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- external pageTips & tools for writingcall_made, Writing Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- external pageKnowledge Basecall_made, Scribbr
- external pageWriting Resourcescall_made, Writing Center of the George Mason University
- external pageReading Centrecall_made, University of Teacher Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
Please find literature on the following topics in ETH Library @ swisscovery
Writing@ETH Network
Writing@ETH is a network for people from the ETH Domain who deal with topics related to scientific writing. These include reading, citation, plagiarism prevention, scientific English, publishing and other aspects.
The network has the following goals:
- To promote contact and utilise synergies
- To share experiences and best practices
- To present current issues and projects
- To follow trends and discuss developments
- To develop new services and evaluate tools
- To form a pool of experts
These activities also help to attract attention to this subject within the university.
Our next events: in planning
Members include staff from libraries, the Rectorate, the administrative department Educational Development and Technology (LET), the Language Center of UZH and ETH Zurich and educational developers from the departments.
Interested in being part of the network? Then us.
We would of course be delighted if you would like to get involved in one of the working groups as well.
The ETH Library is responsible for coordinating the network.
Related Links
- Download vertical_align_bottom Checklist revising scientific texts (PDF, 151 KB)
- Download vertical_align_bottom Checklist time and project management (PDF, 131 KB)
- external page call_made Cite Them Right (online referencing tool)
- chevron_right Courses at the ETH Library
- external page call_made Language Center of UZH and ETH Zurich
- chevron_right Managing references