Syllabus
DCN 880: Fundamentals of Manuscript Preparation
Credits -
Description
This 8-week course is designed to help graduate, doctoral and postdoctoral students revise and format an existing piece of scholarly writing to meet publication expectations. Students are expected to have a dissertation, thesis, research or capstone manuscript to revise into an article manuscript. This course will prepare students to work through journal selection, authorship issues, and the preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
The class is intended for graduate and doctoral students who have completed a graduate project through primary or secondary data collection and are engaged in the analyses of their results – typically beyond the midway mark of their project; the introduction, background, methods, results and at least part of the discussion should be complete.
At the end of the term, students enrolled will have completed a manuscript that is ready for submission to a peer-reviewed academic journal and are expected to provide proof of submission.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Students will
- choose a peer-reviewed journal appropriate to their subject and career needs.
- learn how to successfully navigate a manuscript through the entire manuscript preparation, revision, review and publishing process.
- practice and apply their understanding of professional standards for the conduct of ethical reporting of scientific results.
- apply critical thinking and revision skills to meet the expectations of scholarly writing for a publication.
- learn how to better present the results of their experiments in effective tables and figures.
- improve their writing skills so that each section of manuscript is concise and organized.
- successfully submit a research manuscript to a peer-reviewed, scientific journal to share their findings with the scientific community.
Assignments
Key Assignments
All assignments will receive instructor feedback to assist with the revision process.
Locate and Select Journals for Submission (Week 2) – You will learn to distinguish between open-access and subscription-based journal, to use journal-matching resources to identify journals appropriate for the manuscript topic, and to select an appropriate journal. Finally, you will become familiar with the journal formatting guidelines.
Introduction and Background Revision (Week 3) – The beginning sections of the manuscript are revised for conciseness, clarity, and formatting according to the chosen journal’s guidelines.
Methods and Results Revision (Week 4) – These sections are revised according to the chosen journal’s guidelines, with special attention given to tables and figures.
Discussion and Conclusion Revision (Week 5) – The final manuscript sections are revised for clarity and to meet journal guidelines.
Structured and Unstructured Abstracts (Week 6) – Two types of abstract structure are practiced in this assignment.
Peer Review of a Manuscript (Week 6) – You will practice the peer-review process and receive feedback from a peer.
Final Revision of Manuscript (Week 7) – Instructor feedback will be incorporated into the final draft of the manuscript before submission to the chosen journal during week 8.
Assignments are due on Tuesdays, 11:59pm ET.
Discussions
Discussions in Weeks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 focus on sharing sections of the manuscript and providing feedback to peers.
Initial Posts are due on Fridays, 11:59pm ET and Response Posts are due Sundays, 11:59pm ET.
Furthermore, in regard to all assignments, please observe the following:
- All assignments must be completed using the chosen journal’s required citation style and format.
- All times refer to Eastern Time (ET).
- All questions about assignments, and all questions in general, should be sent through email.
Writing Statement
As professionals in the field, you will consistently be expected to clearly and concisely articulate advanced concepts for diverse audiences at a variety of educational levels.
Graduate students are expected to integrate and apply current scientific evidence and scholarly practice guidelines when completing assignments. Theories, ideas, concepts, and other information obtained or generated through review of the scholarly literature must be synthesized and summarized across multiple sources and correctly attributed.
Graduate students are expected to produce their best quality work, including screening their work prior to submission for clarity, grammatical, spelling, formatting and mechanical issues.
While there is often a portion of each assignment’s rubric dedicated specifically to grammar, spelling, mechanics, and formatting, it is critical to understand that failure to submit work that has been adequately proofed may result in a reduction of points in other areas of the rubric. These may include, but are not limited to, metrics rating professionalism or content knowledge and synthesis; work submitted in graduate courses should provide evidence of strategic reading, writing, and academic speaking skills essential for success in the discipline.
Please note that the Graduate Programs in Applied Nutrition, which includes the Doctor of Clinical Nutrition program, holds the position that Grammarly and other AI writing and generative technology should not be ordinarily used when completing course assignments, unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, resources to support academic success, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Applied Nutrition page
UNE Libraries
The University of New England Library Services are central to the intellectual life of the University community and an essential resource for doctorate students across didactic, residency, and research coursework and experiences.
UNE Library Services may be accessed through OKTA or by visiting https://library.une.edu/.
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Nutrition Resources
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
AMA Writing Style Statement
In keeping with the requirements of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course and is available at both UNE libraries under the title "AMA Manual." Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
You can learn more about Turnitin here: Understanding the Similarity Score for Students.
Submission of Coursework for Publication or Presentation
Students interested in submitting a manuscript or other work completed in the course for publication or presentation external to UNE must obtain written approval from the course instructor and DCN Program Director prior to submission. The student should contact the course instructor or DCN Program Director to obtain a copy of the DCN Permission to Publish/Present Form which must be completed by the student per the form's instructions. Failure to follow these steps and complete the form prior to submission for publication/presentation or abide by the requirements therein will result in a professionalism violation. If granted permission to publish or present, the student is expected to indicate that the manuscript or other work was prepared as part of course and degree requirements while a student in the Doctor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of New England. University affiliation for publications, abstracts, posters, or other presentations should be listed as "Graduate Programs in Applied Nutrition, College of Professional Studies, University of New England." Please contact the DCN Program Director for UNE templates and logos that must be used for posters and presentations.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Students are responsible for ensuring continuous access to computer and technology requirements throughout their program of study. Course faculty will not routinely accept computer or other technology issues as an excuse for assignments that are not submitted per instructions, that are submitted late, or are missing a submission.
Course Participation Policy
Courses within the DCN Program are demanding and exacting. Students are expected to be present in course discussions and group activities, prepared for class, and actively engaged as evidenced by critical thinking and meaningful participation. Students are expected to schedule their personal and/or professional obligations and their course registrations so as to maintain continuous and complete participation throughout courses. Any absence from course activities will impede learning. However, circumstances may arise that cause students to be absent from active course participation on either a preplanned or an emergency basis.
Active course participation is defined as engaged participation in group activities, fulfilling discussion requirements within the published timeline, and submitting assignments within the published timeline. Absence is defined as lacking engaged participation in group activities and not fulfilling discussion requirements within the published timeline, and/or not submitting assignments within the published timeline.
Both preplanned and emergency absences are to be kept to a minimum and should not exceed, cumulatively, 10% of the assignments in a course. Exceeding this limit may result in grade reduction for the course or failing the course. Students are to make arrangements in advance of the absences with the instructor for submission of assignments and discussion participation, in accordance with specifications communicated in the course syllabus. An emergency absence is one that students do not know about in advance and often involves situations such as health issues. In this case, students are to notify the instructor as soon as possible and make arrangements for submission of assignments and discussion participation in accordance with specifications communicated in the course syllabus.
Late Policy
Assignments: Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive a deduction of 10% of the total possible grade for each day it is late. After three days, the assignment will not be accepted. No assignments will be accepted after the course ends.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, acceptance of the discussion board is at the discretion of the faculty. Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Students are encouraged to make every effort ahead of time to contact their instructor and their student support specialist if they are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.