Technical Communication Training for Early-Career Military Leaders

Scientific communication requires an ability to interpret scientific literature and communicate it through technical reports and briefings. We developed a technical workshop that introduces early-career military members to the analytical skills required to dissect a scientific publication. We break down the anatomy of a scientific publication from the problem statement, hypothesis, methodologies, results, and conclusions. Then we demonstrate how to use each component to assess if the scientific conclusions are supported by the published results. This important relationship is the essence of the scientific method, and early-career military members will develop the analytical skills to thoroughly evaluate these components. Importantly, we train military members to effectively communicate technical summaries and present scientific evaluations through oral presentations and written reports. The combined training allows participants to effectively evaluate and communicate scientific literature.