MTU Library Catalogue

Syndetics cover image
Image from Syndetics

Asking questions in biology : key skills for practical assessments and project work / Chris Barnard, Francis Gilbert and Peter McGregor.

By: Barnard, C. J. (Christopher J.).
Contributor(s): Gilbert, Francis S. (Francis Sylvest), 1956- | McGregor, Peter K.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookPublisher: New York : Pearson Education, 2001Edition: 2nd ed.Description: p. cm.ISBN: 0130903701; 9780130903709.Subject(s): Biology -- Methodology | Biology -- Research -- Methodology | Science -- Methodology | Science | Biology, life sciences | Research methods: generalDDC classification: 570.72 BAR Summary: Asking the right questions in the right way is a fundamental skill in scientific enquiry. This text introduces students of the biological sciences to the skills of observation and enquiry.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Barcode
General lending MTU Kerry North Campus Library First Floor Main 570.72 BAR (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 38888000065460
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Biology students need to be able to analyse data and produce high quality practical reports. These skills are essential for success in assessments, examinations and project work.Asking Questions in Biology will help you to master the practical and data handling elements of your course, while teaching you a fundamental skill in scientific discovery. Tried and tested with students, this unique text explains: v Why asking the right questions is essential in any scientific enquiryv How to design experiments and project workv How to approach analysing data, using principles that apply with any statistical package v How to present your results including figures and tables Features include: v Self-test questions and answersv An easy-to-use Quick Test Finder v Key topics are illustrated with a wide range of examples from ecology and behaviour to toxicology and parasitology.This second edition continues to provide an invaluable text for practical courses in biology. It is especially useful for courses that emphasise hypothesis testing and data analysis, and as a guide for students working on assessed projects.Chris Barnard is Professor of Animal Behaviour and Francis Gilbert is Senior Lectu

Previous ed.: Harlow: Longman, 1993.

Includes index.

Includes bibliographical references (p. ).

Asking the right questions in the right way is a fundamental skill in scientific enquiry. This text introduces students of the biological sciences to the skills of observation and enquiry.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • Preface
  • I Doing Science: Where do Questions Come From
  • 1 Science as asking questions
  • 2 Basic considerations
  • 3 The skill of asking questions
  • 4 Testing hypotheses
  • 5 How is a hypothesis tested
  • 6 Where do questions come from?
  • 7 Curiosity
  • 8 Casual Observation
  • 9 Exploratory observations
  • 10 Previous studies
  • 11 What this book is about
  • 12 References
  • II Asking Questions: The Art of Framing Hypotheses and Predictions
  • 13 Observation
  • 14 Observational notes and measurements
  • 15 Exploratory analysis
  • 16 Visual exploratory analysis
  • 17 Summary statistics
  • 18 Forming hypothesese
  • 19 Turning exploratory analysis into hypotheses and predictions
  • 20 Null hypotheses
  • 21 Differences and trends
  • 22 Summary
  • III Answering Questions: What do The Results Say
  • 23 Confirmatory analysis
  • 24 The need for a yardstick in comfirmatory analysis: statistical significance
  • 25 What is statistical significance?
  • 26 Significance tests
  • 27 Types of measurement and types of test
  • 28 Simple significance tests for differences and trends
  • 29 Testing hypotheses
  • 30 Deciding what to do
  • 31 Testing Predications
  • 32 Refining hypotheses and predications
  • 33 Summary
  • 34 References
  • IV Presenting Information: How to Communicate Outcomes and Conclusions
  • 35 Presenting figures and tables
  • 36 Presenting analysis of difference
  • 37 Presenting analysis of trends
  • 38 Presenting results in the text
  • 39 Writing reports
  • 40 The sections of a report
  • 41 Example of a report
  • 42 Summary
  • 43 Test Finder and Help Guide
  • 44 Some Self-Test Questions
  • Appendix I Table of Confidence Limits To The Median
  • Appendix II Worked Examples of Significance Tests
  • Appendix III Significance Tables
  • Answers to Self-Test Questions
  • Index
  • Quick Test-Finder (inside of back cover)
Previous
Back to results
Next
Close