Doing science : design, analysis, and communication of scientific research

Doing Science, second edition, 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.

Now in its second edition, Doing Science has been completely updated and expanded to include a brand-new chapter on doing science in society, as well as increased coverage of the ethics of avoiding conflict of interest.

Anyone beginning a scientific career, or who advises students in research will find Doing Science, second edition, an invaluable source of advice.

Author Notes

Ivan Valiela is Senior Research Scientist at The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, in Woods Hole. Massachusetts.

Reviews 1

Choice Review

This new edition of Doing Science (1st ed., CH, Sep'01, 39-0274) would be a perfect resource for courses that some graduate departments offer beginning researchers on how to initiate, conduct, and report on a research project. It would also be a valuable addition to the libraries of both seasoned and novice researchers. Valiela (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole) covers a wide range of topics including formulating a research hypothesis, devising the questions that need to be answered to prove or disprove it, and collecting data. The treatment of data is covered in depth with chapters on analyzing statistics, preparing graphs/tables, and comparing data taken in multiple trials. The author explains how to construct a research paper and a paper for publication in reviewed journals, give talks, present poster demonstrations, and write grant proposals based on the results obtained. He includes a chapter of case studies from previous experiments. The book ends with a discussion of scientific ethics and the public perception of scientists based on sensationalized accounts of misleading, false, and fabricated results. This work is highly technical and presupposes a good knowledge of the mathematics associated with data manipulation. A list of sources and further readings end each chapter. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Academic audiences, upper-division undergraduates and above. C. G. Wood formerly, Eastern Maine Community College

1 Obtaining Scientific Information	p. 3
1.1 Introduction	p. 3
1.2 Empirical Science	p. 5
1.3 Deductive Science	p. 19
2 Elements of Scientific Data and Tests of Questions	p. 33
2.1 Kinds of Date	p. 33
2.2 Accuracyand Precision	p. 36
2.3 Frequency Distributions	p. 37
2.4 Descriptive Statistics	p. 40
2.5 Distributions and Transformations of Data	p. 44
2.6 Tests of Hypotheses	p. 47
3 Statistical Analyses	p. 53
3.1 Analysis of Variance	p. 54
3.2 Regression	p. 64
3.3 Correlation	p. 69
3.4 Analysis of Frequencies	p. 73
3.5 Summary of Statistical Analyses	p. 74
3.6 Transformations of Data	p. 76
4 Principles of Research Design	p. 85
4.1 Desirable Properties of Research Design	p. 85
4.2 Design of Treatments	p. 86
4.3 Design of Layout	p. 90
4.4 Response Design	p. 101
4.5 Sensible Experimental Design	p. 103
5 Communication of Scientific Information: Writing	p. 107
5.1 The Matter of Publication	p. 107
5.2 The Matter of Which Language to Use	p. 112
5.3 Writing Scientific English	p. 118
6 Communicating Scientific Information: The Scientific Paper	p. 139
6.1 Organization of a Scientific Paper	p. 139
6.2 The Life History of a Scientific Paper	p. 150
6.3 Scientific Papers: Important and Changing	p. 159
7 Other Means of Scientific Communication	p. 163
7.1 The Scientific Talk	p. 163
7.2 The Poster Presentation	p. 171
7.3 The Proposal	p. 174
8 Presenting Data in Tables	p. 187
8.1 Why Show Data in Tables?	p. 187
8.2 The Elements of Tables	p. 190
8.3 Layout of Tables	p. 193
8.4 Tables That Need Not Be Tables	p. 195
9 Presenting Data in Figures	p. 199
9.1 Graphical Perception	p. 204
9.2 Types of Figures	p. 205
9.3 Principles of Graphical Representation	p. 225
10 Case Studies of Graphical Data Presentation	p. 235
10.1 Bivariate Graphs	p. 237
10.2 Three-Variable Graphs	p. 251
10.3 Histograms	p. 253
10.4 Bar Graphs	p. 258
10.5 Pie Diagrams	p. 264
11 Doing Science in Society	p. 275
11.1 The Profession of Science	p. 275
11.2 Unbiased and Independent Judgment	p. 275
11.3 Validity of Facts	p. 278
11.4 Giving Credit to Others and Sharing Credit	p. 284
11.5 How Widespread Is Questionable Behavior in Science?	p. 284
12 Perceptions and Criticisms of Science	p. 291
12.1 Current Perceptions about Science	p. 291
12.2 Science and Some Modern Critics	p. 308
12.3 Sharpening Perceptions about Science	p. 312
Index	p. 323

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Author Notes

Reviews 1

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Table of Contents