Research Methods for the Biosciences

ABOUT THIS BOOK

• Brings together all essential elements of biosciences research into a single, coherent resource
• Places emphasis on active learning, with questions throughout the text and complementary tasks online, to reinforce essential concepts and skills
• Fully integrated online resources allow ultimate flexibility of use to support lectures and motivate students to fully explore factors in the book
• Online Resource Centre features a range of additional materials for lecturers and students to enhance the educational value of the text

New to this edition

• New three part structure organizes the subject taking the reader from the planning stages, through the analysis of data, and on to the report write-up
• Expanded online resources to include an interactive risk assessment form with supporting notes, further integrated exercises, and a bank of test questions
• Increased coverage of practical techniques and legislation

Scientific research is the ultimate tool in pushing forward the limit of our understanding. But, as with any tool, research is only powerful if used properly, and to its full effect.

Research Methods in the Biosciences demystifies the process of research to equip every biosciences student with the skills they need to get the most out of their investigations. Research isn't solely about experimental design; the book leads them through all the factors that, together, enable effective research. These include planning your experiment; data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting; and legal, ethical, and health and safety considerations.

Research Methods for the Biosciences brings together the knowledge and skills required of every good researcher as a coherent whole, making it the essential resource for any biosciences student.

Online Resource Centre
The Online Resource Centre to accompany Research Methods for the Biosciences constitutes a totally flexible teaching and learning package, keyed directly to the text, featuring interactive tasks and exercises for both formative and summative assessment, and additional reference materials for both student and lecturer.

For students:
· Statistical software walkthroughs for SPSS, Excel, and minitab
· Complete details of calculations given in boxes
· Interactive and printable decision tree, to aid in deigning your experiment
· Interactive and printable risk assessment form
· Integrative exercises based on published and unpublished student work
· Additional statistcal tests - Four extra statistical tests · Weblinks
· Hyperlinked glossary

For lecturers:
· A test bank of questions
· Figures from the book available to download

Readership: Intermediate and advanced level undergraduate biosciences students studying a course on research methods, or embarking on a research project. Also an invaluable reference for postgraduates who need a refresher in the essential aspects of planning, conducting, and analysing a research project.

REVIEWS

Review(s) from previous edition

"Well-organised and easy to read, Research Methods for the Biosciences is a useful tool for undergraduates, not to mention those involved in teaching in this field. - David Sotres, Good Clinical Practice Journal, August 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: Planning your experiment
1: Where do I begin?
2: Planning your experiment
3: Questions, focus groups, and interviews
4: Research, the law, and you

Section 2: Handling your data
5: What to do with raw data
6: An introduction to hypothesis testing
7: Hypothesis testing: do my data fit an expected ratio?
8: Hypothesis testing: associations and relationships
9: Hypothesis testing: do my samples come from the same population? Parametric data
10: Hypothesis testing: do my samples come from the same population? Non-parametric data

Section 3: Reporting your results
11: Reporting your research

Appendix a.How to choose a research project
Appendix b.Planning your experiment
Appendix c.Which statistical test should I choose?
Appendix d.Tables of critical values for statistical tests
Appendix e.Maths and statistics
Glossary
References
Index

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Debbie Holmes, University of Worcester, Peter Moody, University of Worcester, and Diana Dine, University of Worcester