Doing Science offers a rare compendium of practical advice based on how working scientists pursue their craft. It covers each stage of research, from formulating questions and gathering data to developing experiments and analyzing results and finally to the many ways for presenting results. Drawing on his extensive experience both as a researcher and a research mentor, Ivan Valiela has written a lively and concise survey of everything a beginning scientist needs to know to succeed in the field. He includes chapters on scientific data, statistical methods, and experimental designs, and much of the book is devoted to presenting final results. He gives valuable suggestions for improving scientific writing, for preparing scientific talks, and devotes three chapters to hands-on advice for presenting data in charts, tables, and graphs. Anyone beginning a scientific career, or anyone who advises students in research, will find Doing Science an invaluable source of advice.
Author(s): Ivan Valiela
Edition: 1
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 294
0195134133......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
1.1 Introduction......Page 12
1.2 Empirical Science......Page 13
1.3 Deductive Science......Page 27
2.1 Kinds of Data......Page 38
2.2 Accuracy and Precision......Page 41
2.3 Frequency Distributions......Page 42
2.4 Descriptive Statistics......Page 44
2.5 Distributions and Transformations of Data......Page 49
2.6 Tests of Hypotheses......Page 52
3 Statistical Analyses......Page 58
3.1 Analysis of Variance......Page 59
3.2 Regression......Page 68
3.3 Correlation......Page 72
3.4 Analysis of Frequencies......Page 76
3.5 Summary of Statistical Analyses......Page 77
3.6 Transformations of Data......Page 78
4.1 Desirable Properties of Research Design......Page 88
4.2 Design of Treatments......Page 89
4.3 Design of Layout......Page 93
4.4 Response Design......Page 103
4.5 Sensible Experimental Design......Page 104
5.1 The Matter of Publication......Page 108
5.2 The Matter of Which Language to Use......Page 112
5.3 Writing Scientific English......Page 117
6.1 Organization of a Scientific Paper......Page 136
6.2 The Life History of a Scientific Paper......Page 146
7.1 The Scientific Talk......Page 156
7.2 The Poster Presentation......Page 163
7.3 The Proposal......Page 167
8.1 Why Show Data in Tables?......Page 180
8.2 The Elements of Tables......Page 183
8.3 Layout of Tables......Page 186
8.4 Tables That Need Not Be Tables......Page 188
9 Presenting Data in Figures......Page 192
9.1 Graphical Perception......Page 197
9.2 Types of Figures......Page 198
9.3 Principles of Graphical Representation......Page 217
10 Case Studies of Graphical Data Presentation......Page 228
10.1 Bivariate Graphs......Page 229
10.2 Three-Variable Graphs......Page 242
10.3 Histograms......Page 243
10.4 Bar Graphs......Page 248
10.5 Pie Diagrams......Page 254
11.1 Current Perceptions About Science......Page 264
11.2 Science and Some Modern Critics......Page 273
11.3 Sharpening Perceptions About Science......Page 276
B......Page 294
C......Page 295
F......Page 296
H......Page 297
M......Page 298
P......Page 299
R......Page 300
S......Page 301
V......Page 302
Z......Page 303
