The Design of Experiments in Neuroscience

Third Edition

You are about to start on a great adventure. You are going to transition from reading about science to becoming a scientist. Most students I know are both excited and doubtful as they approach this transition. They may be thinking, “ It sounds pretty cool to be a neuroscientist, but am I really able to think of my own experiments? ” For many, their idea of a scientist is a creature totally unlike themselves. In this book, I will address this self-doubt by explaining the basics of how this whole enterprise works. You will be able to start off on your adventure with an understanding of how to go about selecting a topic, designing an experiment, analyzing the results, and publishing a paper. I love to give advice, so be confident that you will also get many suggestions on how to find a mentor, what to focus on in your training, and common traps to avoid. I have watched many students apply this background immediately as they take on internships in neuroscience research laboratories and launch their own careers. Whether they end up as research scientists, physicians, public health workers, or simply well-informed citizens, the hands-on experience of producing new scientific knowledge is one I think they all enjoy