David Miller
Hon. Research Fellow, School of Life Science, Glasgow University

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.90.44

It is widely acknowledged that many bio-science graduates lack significant research lab experience. Even those who have undertaken research projects can be exposed to just a few techniques. In most undergraduate courses, appraisal of research papers tends to be restricted to understanding and assessing the results or the claims authors have made; only rarely is proper attention paid to evaluating the methodology per se in order to apprehend the true significance of the work.

These widespread shortcomings extend even to postgraduate students (masters and PhD). Indeed, the reality is that few active researchers could claim a working knowledge of, or practical insights into, more than a handful of the techniques and methods covered in this collection.

These shortcomings can be greatly overcome thanks to this book. The key element is that the contributions are from active research scientists of high quality. They each address the methods in a critical sense and provide an expert’s view of the advantages and pitfalls of each. There is no equivalent book currently available.

Whilst one could extend a list of ‘key’ methods and techniques almost indefinitely, this book provides an admirable coverage across the biosciences. The reader will acquire the right interrogative tools to bring further techniques within their grasp; what is developed here is a generic, technique-critical way of thinking as well as providing the specifics on the individual methods described.

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