Helpful resources
Topic summary
This link is intended as a 'quick find' for those students wishing to access resources on study skills and writing in the sciences. The listed references represent only a few of the many resources available on the subject and are by no means exhaustive.
Click on a topic that interests you
- General sciences study skills
- Writing for the sciences
- Websites on scientific writing
- Books on scientific writing
- Books on general writing
- Web sites on how to make posters
- Web sites on how to present seminars
- Writing articles for publication in science journals
- Preparing and sitting for science exams
- Writing for postgraduate students in the sciences
Follow these instructions to request any of the resources from this site.
Study skills for science students
Summary
There are so many excellent study skills websites 'out there' that it has been a real challenge to choose which ones to include here. A good approach would be to first scroll through the sites below, look at the brief review for each one, and then have a look at the ones that would be most relevant to your needs.
General sciences study skills
How to study maths and science
Author: University of Texas
As well as some good study hints on note taking, reading your textbook and problem solving, this site describes strategies for exam preparation, sitting the exam, and for reviewing past exams.
Author: University of Texas
Reference: Available online
This site discusses the particular challenges facing students in the sciences and gives useful study and reading techniques for before, during and after the lecture.
Author: Joe Landsberger
Reference: Available online
Although not specifically designed for science students, the strategies described on this site would apply to science subjects. It has a link to a great site about the mind-mapping study technique that is worth looking at.
Mathematics study skills
Author: Berkeley University of California
Lots of good advice on study skills, preparing for and sitting exams, and solving word problems.
Biology study skills
Author: Muskingum College
Comprehensive information on: notetaking, study techniques, time management, and reading strategies; organisation of information and memory strategies; lab strategies (some of this section is specific to the college, but the generic strategies are worth the visit to this section of the site); and preparing for and sitting exams.
Physics study skills
Author: David R. Hubin and Charles Riddell
There is a lot of good information in this site. It covers the topics: getting an overview; effective participation in a physics class; reading your physics textbook; problem solving; exam preparation; and a weekly flow chart for studying physics. It's very thorough and would be useful for help in specific areas.
Author: University of Connecticut
This site takes a more holistic approach. It raises lots of common problems (e.g. don't know where to begin, read the material but can't get it to sink in) and then presents strategies on how to deal with them.
Chemistry study skills
Author: University of Guam
Clear, brief and well-written advice. The site covers such topics as prerequisites, having the right attitude, attendance at lectures, doing problems, making the most of labs, getting help, preparing for exams, and traps to avoid.
Ten ways to pass your next chemistry exam
Author: Frostberg State University
Some good, sound advice on how to succeed in chemistry.
Writing for the sciences
Websites on scientific writing
Author: University of Woolongong
Reference: Available online
An excellent Australian site on report writing. Click on Report Writing, then on Overview to get links to comprehensive pages on topics such as the purpose of reports, planning the report, academic writing style, using figures, referencing, appendices, and more. Click on Scientific Reports for links to the function and structure of scientific reports. The Structure section goes into detailed explanations of the different sections of the report.
LabWrite: writing your lab report
Author: NC State University
Reference: Available online
This American site contains a lot of detailed information about writing a science practical report. It follows the recommended procedure of beginning with writing the Methods section and finishing with the title. Be aware that it does use the first person (I, we, my), which may not be acceptable in your work. If you have doubts as to whether use of the first person is appropriate, check with your unit co-ordinator.
The Writing Center: writing scientific research reports
Author: University of North Carolina
Reference: Available online
Another useful American site. It gives clear explanations about the rules for the format and content of the different sections of a science research report. It also has a section on the background / planning process and links to other useful resources.
The Writing Center: scientific reports
Author: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Reference: Available online
Yet another American site! This is a more general, introductory site that could be a good starting point. It gives a clear overview of the issues that need to be addressed in the different sections of a report, and how to address them, with some important DOs and DON'Ts.
Books on scientific writing
Day, Robert A.
Day, R. (1989). How to write and publish a scientific paper
Cambridge University Press. Call number 808.0665/D274H
An extremely comprehensive account, divided into 30 short chapters detailing the whole process of writing a paper, getting it published and dealing with rejection. While not concise, (e.g. Chapter 4 'How to prepare the title' takes six pages) it is amusingly written and enlivened with anecdotes and examples of scientific faux pas. A more recent edition of this volume has also been published.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Day, Robert A.
Day, R. (1992). Scientific English: A guide for scientists and other professionals
The Oryx Press. Call number 808.0665/D274s
This resource begins with two short chapters on style and principles of scientific writing, and the rest of the book presents an excellent, in-depth explanation of English grammar, in a scientific context. A more recent edition of this reference is available, though not (yet) in Dixson.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Lindsay, David.
Lindsay, D. (1995). A guide to scientific writing
Melbourne: Longman. Call number 808.0665/L748g
An excellent resource written very accessibly. It contains three chapters on writing journal articles, covering issues such as the detailed function and requirements of different sections of a scientific report, using scientific language and editing and publishing. Other chapters cover literature reviews, conference papers, theses and writing for lay audiences. 126 pp.
Also available: Animal Science collection
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Malmfors, Birgitta.
Malmfors, B., P. Garnsworthy, et al. (2000). Writing and presenting scientific papers
Nottingham, Nottingham University Press. Call number 808.0665/M256w
A good, up-to-date and simply written guide, which covers the fundamentals of the structure and language of science writing. There are additional chapters on literature searching and referencing, getting a paper published, and oral and poster presentations (including use of PowerPoint). There is a useful list of further reading.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Books on general writing
American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Call number R808.02/A512p/2010
Although written for psychologists, much of this classic reference is also indispensable for those writing in the sciences. The whole book is extremely detailed, and there are particularly useful sections on reporting statistical and mathematical copy, preparation and presentation of tables and figures, SI units and prefixes, scientific abbreviations, expressing and using numbers, the standard sections of scientific writing (abstract, introduction, methods etc., albeit with a psychological focus). Esoteric details about punctuation, abbreviations, and referencing abound.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Locke, L., W. Spirduso, et al. 
Locke, L., W. Spirduso, et al. (1993). Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals Newbury Park, Sage Publications. Call number: 808.066/L814p/1993
A comprehensive account of how to write research proposals for experimental and quasi-experimental research. There are three useful annotated example proposals from a variety of research paradigms, but none of these is in physical/life sciences. Used with judicious awareness of your particular context, this should help in writing grant proposals. Many sections are also highly relevant to writing a thesis, e.g. stating questions and hypotheses, finding and reviewing literature.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Newby, M., J. Brennan, et al 
Newby, M., J. Brennan, et al. (1989). Writing: A guide for students
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Call number: 808.042/N535w
This book covers note-making, grammar and sentence construction, using quotations and referencing, and writing for different purposes including examinations. Some good discussion of writing styles. Not directly targeted at science or postgraduate theses.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Swales, J. and C. Feak NESB 
Swales, J. and C. Feak (1994). Academic writing for graduate students: A course for non-native speakers of English.
Ann Arbor, The University of Michigan Press. Call number: 808.042/S971a
This book was written for non-native speakers of English, pitched at graduate student level. The book contains exercises and discussions about English expository writing in general, with a strong rhetorical and grammatical focus.
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Web sites on how to make posters
- How to make a great poster
- http://www.aspb.org/education/poster.cfm
- Designing effective posters
- http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/Poster_Presentations/PstrStart.html
- Poster presentation of research work
- http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/Dept/Tips/present/posters.htm
- The preparation of scientific posters
- http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/sciwriting/posters.htm
- The basics of poster design
- http://www.waspacegrant.org/posterdesign.html
Web sites on how to present seminars
- Effective presentations
- http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/effective.html
- On giving a talk
- http://www.msu.edu/user/zacks/OnGivingATalk.htm
- Oral presentations
- http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/speaking/presentations/index.xml
Writing articles for publication in science journals
Book
West, P. and S. L. Rubenstein
West, P. and S. L. Rubenstein (1986). The commonsense guide to writing the research paper. New York, Macmillan Publishing Company. Call number: 808.042/W519c
You may request a loan of this book from the Dixson library by filling in this form.
Preparing and sitting for science exams
Mathematics
Author: Joe Landsberger
Useful strategies for preparing for, and sitting, a mathematics exam.
General sites
ASO fact sheet: Preparing for exams
ASO fact sheet: Dealing with exams
Author: Academic Skills Office; UNE
These fact sheets contain a lot of useful advice.
Author: Monash University
Reference: Available online
This excellent Australian site gives advice on exam preparation, exam strategies, question wording, identifying exam questions. Also provided are a sample exam question and its sample response, an exam checklist and exam revision plan.
Author: Joe Landsberger
This generic site has lots of really useful links to specific study guides and strategies. See the sections on Preparing for tests (includes sections on Cramming and Emergency test preparation!!) and Taking tests (includes sections on multiple choice, short answer, essay and open book exams).
Author: Academic Skills Office, UNE.
This site has useful information about preparing for and sitting for exams.
Writing for postgraduate students in the sciences
Author: University of NSW
A good Australian site on writing a thesis in the sciences. Contains a lot of useful information, including a link to software for typing mathematical symbols and equations, tips on organisiation, personal advice, and links to other sites.
Author: The Earth Institute at Colombia University
This gives good information and advice about writing a thesis in Environmental Science, but it also applies to other fields in the sciences. Section II: Crosscutting Issues, is especially useful.
