Research Methods for Science - Softcover

Marder, Michael P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521145848 ISBN 13: 9780521145848

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2011

Synopsis

A unique introduction to the design, analysis, and presentation of scientific projects, this is an essential textbook for undergraduate majors in science and mathematics. The textbook gives an overview of the main methods used in scientific research, including hypothesis testing, the measurement of functional relationships, and observational research. It describes important features of experimental design, such as the control of errors, instrument calibration, data analysis, laboratory safety, and the treatment of human subjects. Important concepts in statistics are discussed, focusing on standard error, the meaning of p values, and use of elementary statistical tests. The textbook introduces some of the main ideas in mathematical modeling, including order-of-magnitude analysis, function fitting, Fourier transforms, recursion relations, and difference approximations to differential equations. It also provides guidelines on accessing scientific literature, and preparing scientific papers and presentations. An extensive instructor's manual containing sample lessons and student papers is available at www.cambridge.org/Marder.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Marder is Professor of Physics at the University of Texas, Austin. He is co-director and founder of UTeach, a program to prepare secondary teachers of science and mathematics. He has been teaching a course on how to do scientific research which led to the writing of this textbook. He is author of the graduate text Condensed Matter Physics.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521145848
• ISBN 13: 9780521145848
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 236