This study describes an experience with workshops on the elaboration of scientific work with college students from a university in Rio Grande do Sul. Three workshops were held in order to characterize different types of scientific work (abstract, extended abstract, short paper and full paper) and to explain some aspects that must be considered when writing these works. Forty four undergraduate and postgraduate students took part in the workshops. Procedures and tools used in the meetings were described. Results enabled the identification of students' questions regarding the subject, such as the classification of an abstract, the development of a research problem, and questions regarding methodology. These difficulties reveal fragilities of the background of these students, raising questions about what issues have been studied in research methodology courses, whether and how research groups have approached this subject, and/or if undergraduate research, master's and doctoral students have received basic instructions from their advisors for scientific writing. We conclude that the universities may widen activities so that this kind of knowledge can be built through the maintenance of traditional opportunities and the proposal of innovative actions, such as this workshop.
College students; Creative workshop; Scientific communication; Writing skills
