Registration and access
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To register: On the register page, click ‘Your institution’ and select South Dakota State University from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, they can start typing the name of your institution and select from the options that will appear.
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Courses
The university’s subscription includes access to all courses on the Nature Masterclasses On-demand platform. South Dakota State University will automatically get access to all new courses published on the Nature Masterclasses On-demand platform during its subscription period. Access to the courses will be valid until January 30, 2025.
Classes as of February 2024 are:
This course has been developed for researchers in the natural sciences who want to improve the quality of their peer-to-peer scientific presentations with both virtual and face-to-face audiences. In the course, you will discover how you can develop your research story, how to build a slide deck that supports and enhances your presentation, and how to prepare to deliver your presentation on the day. This 4-module course is delivered across 10 hours, split into 15-minute bitesize lessons.
This course is for researchers who want to learn how to create effective scientific posters, and for researchers who want to improve their poster presentation skills. The course was developed and refined by an international panel of academics, science artists and poster design and presentation experts. In one 4.5-hour module, researchers learn how to create an engaging research poster and prepare handouts and presentations that will capture the audience's attention.
In this course, you will learn how to develop your data analysis skills or mentor others through the process. The course, consisting of 3 modules, was developed in collaboration with 10 experts in data analysis including experienced statisticians and data scientists, journal editors and early career researchers.
This course provides insight and skills to create a successful data analysis plan. Working through all the important stages from preparation to completion and analysis, you will learn processes, key terms and planning skills. There are 2 modules and 3-4 hours of learning taught in 20-minute lessons.
This course has been designed for researchers looking to understand how storytelling techniques can build a compelling scientific story to communicate their research and apply strategies in an accessible and persuasive way to a non-scientific audience. In this 1-module course, there are 6.5 hours of learning, consisting of 10-30 minute lessons.
This course is designed to give you the opportunity to develop your experimental design skills and will teach you how to select and refine the precise methods, tools, techniques, and protocols you need to answer your research question. Developed in collaboration with 9 experts, this 4-module course consists of 7-8 hours of learning split up into manageable bite-size lessons.
This course has been developed for researchers looking to find funding opportunities or mentor others through the process. Throughout, you will learn how to analyze your funding requirements and will learn strategies to prioritize and select the opportunities that best fit your needs. This course, consisting of 1-module, was developed in collaboration with 5 experts in the field, and consists of 3-4 hours of learning split into bite-size lessons.
This course is designed for those new to peer review or those looking to refresh their skills and will help you to understand the importance and responsibilities of peer reviews. Taught across 3-4 hours in bitesize 10-minute lessons, you will learn how to prepare peer review reports and discuss ethics and innovations in peer review.
This course is designed to help you take the next step in your career, either as a new postdoc or in a new faculty role. You will learn how to find the best potential career opportunities and give your application the best possible chance of success. Developed in collaboration with 11 experts, this course is made up of modules and 7-8 hours of learning split into bite-size lessons.
This course will teach you how to interpret scientific findings with more confidence or mentor others through the process. Developed in collaboration with a team of 5 international experts in interpreting results, the course consists of 1 module containing 12 bite-size lessons to provide an accessible, dip-in-and-out format for busy researchers.
This course provides insights for researchers in the natural sciences who wish to participate in collaborative projects. In this 1-module course spanning 2.5 hours of learning taught in 12-minute lessons, you will discover how becoming a more effective collaborator could help to further both your research and your career.
This course has been designed for researchers to identify and approach potential collaborators with the right expertise. Managing challenges including conflict between collaborators, ethical misconduct, and administering shared funds, you will learn to maximize the outputs, value and impact of your collaboration. There are 3 modules and 11.5 hours of learning taught in 15-minute lessons.
This course is designed to develop your data management skills and helps you to understand the benefits of using research data effectively. Throughout the course, you will learn how to create and maintain a data management plan, explore best practices for organizing and storing your data, and evaluate the different options for sharing research data. Made up of 4 modules, with 4-5 hours of learning, all split into bitesize 15-minute lessons.
This course is designed to enhance your communication with peers by exploring the use of narrative tools to tell your research story. The 3-module course helps you to understand the benefits of using narrative tools to communicate your research more effectively and provides you with the skills to build a refined and compelling research story.
This course has been developed for researchers looking to improve their networking skills and helps you to understand how to build stronger relationships within the research community both online and in person. Taught across 3 parts, with 4 hours of learning you’ll be taught strategies for leveraging your network to advance your research or career.
This course provides a deep dive into how the application of storytelling principles can yield advantage for you when writing grant applications. Throughout, you will learn how to use narrative tools when writing your grant proposal to make it more informative and persuasive. This course consists of 3 modules, with 3.5 hours of learning, all split into bitesize 15-minute lessons.
This course has been developed for researchers looking to make a meaningful contribution when joining a collaborative project. In this course, you will discover how to overcome possible roadblocks, to maximize the skills, ideas and contacts you’ll gain from collaborating. In this 1-module course, there are 5 hours of learning, consisting of 15-minute bite-sized lessons.
This course will teach you how to submit your research paper and select the most appropriate journal for publication and submit your paper. Taught across 5.5 hours in bitesize 15-minute lessons, you will learn how to navigate the editorial process, and write cover letters, to include ethical considerations.
This course has been designed to support researchers in mastering the steps needed to publish their work with integrity, ultimately helping them advance their careers and make valuable contributions to the scientific record with confidence. In this 3-module course, there are 8 hours of learning consisting of 45-minute lessons.
In the course, you will discover how to plan, structure, write and referee a review. You will learn to create a clear and compelling story supported by relevant citations. This 1-module course is delivered across 1.5 hours, split into 15-minute bitesize lessons.
This course is designed for researchers looking to write an effective, clear and concise article that will appeal to a broad audience as well as attract the attention of their peers. Taught across 4.5 hours in bitesize 15-minute lessons, you will learn how to manage and present your data, develop a great title and abstract, and structure your paper.
This course will introduce researchers to powerful narrative tools and principles of scientific writing. It will also teach researchers how to apply them to their next manuscript. The course was developed in collaboration with a team of 12 experts in writing and evaluating research papers, including Nature Portfolio Journal Editors. Researchers learn in five modules how to write informative, concise, well structured and engaging research papers. This 2nd edition provides an improved learning experience and enriched content with extensive real-world examples.