Experimental design for biologists / David J. Glass, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Glass, David J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biology--Mathematical models.

Biology.

Experimental design.

Physical Description:

viii, 289 pages ; 26 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Cold Spring Harbor, New York : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, [2014]

Summary:

"Experimental Design for Biologists is a unique and successful handbook on the theory and practice of effective design of scientific experiments, based on a well-received course by the author. This second edition is entirely reorganized, rewritten, and includes new material and figures. The material is presented in seven parts: Philosophy of Scientific Experimentation, Mapping Out the Project, System Validation, Experimental Design, Examples, What Comes After, and Putting It All Together. Experimental Design for Biologists, Second Edition, is an essential source in designing a sound research plan, critical to the success of graduate students"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Section 1 Philosophy of Experimentation 1

1 Why You Need to Read a Little Philosophy First: The Philosophy of Science Governs the Practice of Science 3

2 Defining Scientific Research 5

3 Why Do Science? What Is Science For? The Need for Inductive Reasoning 9

4 The First Step to Engaging in Scientific Research: Establishing Your Framework 15

5 A Short History of Philosophy Relevant to Scientific Method: How We Got to Where We Are Today and the Problem of Induction 17

6 The Sky Is Red Hypothesis: Examining the Hypothesis-Falsification Framework 25

7 The Hypothesis as a Framework for Scientific Projects: Is Critical Rationalism Critical Enough? 29

8 Scientific Settings in Which a Hypothesis-Falsification Framework Is Not Feasible 39

9 The Question and the Model: Forming an inductive Framework for Scientific Projects (by Getting to Carnegie Hall) 45

10 Advantages to the Question/Model-Building Inductive Framework 51

11 A Biological Example of the Question/Model-Building Framework 57

12 Some Concluding Remarks on the Philosophy of Experimentation: Warnings and Exhortations 73

Section 2 System Validation 77

13 The System 79

14 System Validation 81

15 Choice of a Model Organism or Technique: Validation Experiments 85

16 System Validation Requirements for Distinct Experimental Readouts 89

17 System Specificity: Specificity of Detection and Specificity of Perturbation 97

18 System Sensitivity: Minimizing Signal to Noise to Improve Sensitivity of Detection 105

19 System Stability 113

20 Determining Conditions to Measure Efficacy 119

21 System Validation: Determining Conditions to Measure Safety 127

Section 3 The Experiment 129

22 Definition of the Experiment: The Framework for an Individual Experiment 131

23 The Negative Control: Distinct Types 137

24 The Requirement for the Positive Control 155

25 Method and Reagent Controls 173

26 Subject Controls 183

27 Assumption Controls 199

28 Experimentalist Controls: Establishing a Claim to an Objective Perspective 211

29 Biological Replicates, Technical Replicates, Experimental Repeats, Time Courses (Repeats over Time), and Dose Responses 219

30 Summary of the Components of the Individual Experiment 227

Section 4 The Model 229

31 Building the Model: Representations of the Experimental Data 231

32 Data Filtration 239

33 Model Induction: Asking Follow-Up Questions and Finishing the Project by Writing the Manuscript 243

34 A Short Synopsis 247

Section 5 Addendum 251

Designing the Experimental Project: A Biological Example 253.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1621820416

9781621820413

OCLC:

878301025

Publisher Number:

99960202889