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We’re pleased to present a guest review from Karen Dawe at the University of Bristol.

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The fourth edition of this textbook on scientific methodology is a comprehensive how-to for doing science, from the art of asking the right questions to presenting information. Although aimed at students of biology, for whom it will be invaluable, given its focus on actually doing science it could be a lifesaver for many postdocs.

If you’ve been spoon fed pre-prepared protocols for all your practical classes, this is a great antidote, thoroughly and carefully explaining how to progress from having a little science-y think in the bath to actually carrying out an experiment to test your ideas. It demands that you justify not only your methods but also your rationale, something even professional scientists can take for granted.

It happily dodges issues of a philosophical nature and focuses on more ecologically valid concerns, such as how to formulate hypotheses; what stats test to use; even what size paper your poster should be on. There is a great section on presenting information, giving suggestions on how to make effective posters (build a miniature reed bed!), giving oral presentations, and even how to write for a general audience.

Concepts are not treated in vague terms, rather procedures are clearly set out; a particular strength is the use of screenshots illustrating the stages involved in searching in Web of Knowledge and entering data into Excel. There are practical examples taking the reader from concept to data presentation, with updated references for this edition. There is also a fairly taxing quiz, fortunately with answers.

A significant chunk of the book is dedicated to data analysis and statistical methods. It’s a complete reference for any biology student. If you use the freeware package R for your stats then it’s a real treat, with step-by-step instructions and screen grabs galore, and an additional appendix for this edition covering common codes for important graphical parameters of R. And if you’re a SPSS, Minitab or Genstat type of person then you can download the equivalent information from the publisher’s website (from 24^th October 2011).

The language used might not be for everyone. For example the internet is referred to as “the Internet/World Wide Web”, and “material of interest” is used to refer to anything under study. This can make it feel a little like getting a seminar from your favourite no-nonsense emeritus prof, but is something thing I really like about it!

The tone is friendly but authoritative and conveys the authors’ obvious affection for their chosen careers , making it an inspirational read; science sounds so nice and ordered and satisfying and logical. Which is perhaps the book’s only potential real problem; as you know, science isn’t a bit like that. This cartoon has been doing the rounds on Twitter recently. Its message—doing science is a right old mess. There could also be more about the peer-review process, about the way in which getting a thorough grilling at every stage of the process is a valuable exercise in refinement, and crucial to doing science.

Should this messy side to science be better explained in the book? Maybe. But the chaos of research is perhaps something has to be experienced to be properly understood, and when it’s midnight and you realize you’ve actually forgotten to put any material of interest in your reaction, this book, with its calm and logical progression of ordered steps through scientific discovery would be a great thing to cling to, to remind you how wonderful the overall process can be.

Or to whack the PCR machine with.

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Karen Dawe is a neuroendocrinologist at the university of Bristol with a background in neuroscience (Oxford) and psychology (Exeter). She is about to start a new position within the Avon longitudinal study of parents and children (ALSPAC) with a special interest in fetal programming.