The Science Student's Guide to Dissertations and Research Projects

Scientific research should be interesting and exciting. When you finally get your data and, even better – it makes sense! There’s nothing quite like it. Your final research project will give you a flavour of what it will be like if you decide you would like to make a career in scientific research.

This book will help you get the most out of that experience. In her years of work with students, Jess Bownes has answered countless questions about conducting and writing about scientific research. In this book, she distils her advice into one essential guide to writing dissertations and research projects and addresses the most common concerns and questions that science students have.

This book supports students through the entire process of working on a dissertation, from the early but crucial planning stages, through to undertaking practical work and collecting data, researching literature, and writing up one’s findings. The structure of the book mirrors key stages of a research project or dissertation, making it easy for students to dip in and out as they work on their project. With lists, step-by-step guides and plenty of practical examples, each chapter helps readers to approach their research in a focused and efficient manner.

The book provides guidance on how to work effectively with one’s supervisor so that readers can better judge when to work independently and how and when to seek advice. As students are often worried about committing accidental plagiarism in research projects, Bownes dedicates a chapter to this topic to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to use sources appropriately. This is an essential companion for any undergraduate or Masters student who is writing a dissertation or research project in the sciences.