1 Introduction ................................................. 1
2 What is science? ............................................ 11
2.1 Deduction versus induction ............................. 16
2.2 Reductionism and wholism ............................... 18
2.3 Why science is hard... and what makes it an art ........ 20
2.4 Many ways to practice science .......................... 23
2.5 Why would you want to be a scientist? .................. 25
2.6 Who is doing science? .................................. 26
3 Choices, choices, choices ................................... 29
3.1 General considerations ................................. 31
3.2 Choosing a university and department ................... 33
3.3 Choosing an adviser .................................... 37
3.4 Choosing a project ..................................... 39
3.5 How do you fit into the picture? ....................... 48
3.6 A checklist with questions ............................. 51
4 The adviser and thesis committee ............................ 53
4.1 Different styles of advising ........................... 53
4.2 The thesis committee ................................... 62
5 Questions drive research .................................... 65
5.1 The need to ask questions .............................. 66
5.2 Order and prioritize questions ......................... 73
5.3 Turning questions into a workplan ...................... 77
6 Giving direction to our work ................................ 81
6.1 Set goals .............................................. 81
6.2 Five steps to take in working toward your goals ........ 85
6.3 What is your greatest resource? ........................ 86
6.4 Being goal-oriented or process-oriented ................ 88
6.5 More than goals and process is meaning in our work ..... 91
7 Turning challenges into opportunities ....................... 93
7.1 Being confused because of lack of direction ............ 93
7.2 Being confused because you don't understand something .. 95
7.3 Simplify first ......................................... 96
7.4 Identify mistakes quickly .............................. 99
7.5 Serendipity and playfulness ........................... 100
7.6 Being stuck ........................................... 102
7.7 Getting the right answer for the wrong reason ......... 105
7.8 Keep two types of notes ............................... 107
8 Ethics of research ......................................... 110
8.1 Respect the property of others ........................ 112
8.2 Be honest ............................................. 114
8.3 Stand up for your scientific integrity ................ 118
8.4 Disagree respectfully ................................. 120
8.5 Authorship issues ..................................... 122
8.6 Interacting with other players ........................ 125
8.7 Ethics of the content of research ..................... 129
9 Using the scientific literature ............................ 132
9.1 Doing a literature search ............................. 133
9.2 Keeping up with the literature ........................ 138
9.3 Making a database of references ....................... 140
10 Communication .............................................. 146
10.1 Why communicate? ...................................... 146
10.2 Communication is difficult ............................ 148
10.3 Written communication ................................. 150
10.4 Oral presentations .................................... 158
10.5 The scientific conference ............................. 171
10.6 Concluding note: you, the audience .................... 174
11 Publishing a paper ......................................... 176
11.1 Before you start writing .............................. 176
11.2 Submission and review ................................. 181
11.3 After publication ..................................... 184
12 Time management ............................................ 186
12.1 Setting priorities .................................... 186
12.2 Using time effectively ................................ 191
13 Writing proposals .......................................... 196
13.1 Who funds research? ................................... 196
13.2 The core content of a proposal ........................ 199
13.3 The other parts of a proposal ......................... 203
13.4 Writing and submitting the proposal ................... 205
14 The scientific career ...................................... 210
14.1 The academic career ................................... 210
14.2 Comparison with the industrial career ................. 217
14.3 Switching fields: benefits and pitfalls ............... 221
14.4 As you take on more responsibilities .................. 223
14.5 Gender issues ......................................... 225
14.6 Closing words ......................................... 230
15 Applying for a job ......................................... 233
15.1 Be informed ........................................... 234
15.2 The application letter and resume ..................... 237
15.3 The interview visit ................................... 245
15.4 Negotiate! ............................................ 247
15.5 Before signing a contract in industry ................. 250
16 Concluding remarks ......................................... 253
16.1 Create your own luck .................................. 253
16.2 Life is a boomerang ................................... 255
16.3 Think of - and be - a role model ...................... 257
16.4 Trust and commitment .................................. 258
Appendix A Further reading .................................... 261
Appendix В A sample curriculum ................................ 265
Appendix С The Refer and BibTeX format ........................ 273
References .................................................... 276
About the authors ............................................. 280
Index ......................................................... 282
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