Experimental Design for Biologists - Hardcover

David Glass

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0879697350 ISBN 13: 9780879697358

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, U.S., 2006

Synopsis

Experimental Design for Biologists explains how to establish the framework for an experimental project, how to set up a system, design experiments within that system, and how to determine and use the correct set of controls. Separate chapters are devoted to negative controls, positive controls, and other categories of controls that are perhaps less recognized, such as ' assumption controls,' and ' experimentalist controls.' Furthermore, there are sections on establishing the experimental system, which include performing critical ' system controls.' Written in an engaging manner, the book provides compelling lessons in framing an experimental question, establishing a validated system to answer the question, and deriving verifiable models from experimental data. Experimental Design for Biologists is an essential source of theory and practical guidance in designing a research plan. Contents: 1. Defining the Experimental Program; 2. The Hypothesis as a Framework for Scientific Projects: Is Critical Rationalism Critical?; 3. What Constitutes an Acceptable Answer to an Experimental Question?; 4. How Experimental Conclusions are Used to Represent Reality: Model-building; 5. Establishing a System for Experimentation; 6. Designing the First Experiment; 7. Designing the Second Experiment; 8. Asking the Prospective Question; 9. Method Controls; 10. Reagent Controls; 11. Assumption Controls; 12. System Controls; 13. Experimentalist Controls; 14. Blinded Analysis; 15. Prospective Questions; 16. The Third Experiment; 17. Where the Model Meets the Inductive Space and Why It Is All Right to Admit What You Know; 18. The Fourth Experiment; 19. Answering the Question that Frames the Experimental Project.

About this title

Review

[David Glass] has written an extraordinarily concise, highly instructive book based on a course he developed. It guides potential and practicing researchers through scientific epistemology and sound research design. The author uses extensive application examples, especially biological ones. Early chapters focus on philosophical constructs related to research issues, especially critical rationalism. The volume presents effective framing of both testing a hypothesis and a question/answer format. --Choice

From the Publisher

This title is part of a series of books, published by Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, aimed at postgraduates and researchers in
the life sciences. The books provide key practical advice and data to make
your life in the lab as easy as possible. The books are:
At the Bench (9780879697082);
At the Helm (9780879695835);
Binding and Kinetics for Molecular Biologists (9780879697365);
Experimental Design for Biologists (9780879697358);
Lab Dynamics (9780879697419);
Lab Math (9780879696344);
Lab Ref (9780879696306);
Lab Ref, Volume 2 (9780879698157)

Edition details

• Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, U.S.
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0879697350
• ISBN 13: 9780879697358
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 206