Practical Skills in Biology, 7th edition

Published by Pearson (October 25, 2021) © 2022

  • Allan Jones University of Dundee
  • Rob Reed Emeritus at Central Queensland University
  • Jonathan Weyers University of Dundee
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An essential companion for biology students throughout your entire degree programme, this seventh edition of Practical Skills in Biology, has been updated and expanded to provide you with a complete and easy-to-read guide. It's an all-in-one solution for the key practical skills needed for biology and all biosciences, including: comprehensive coverage of study and examination skills; fundamental laboratory and field methods; investigative and analytical techniques and analysis and presentation of data.  

This new edition comes with increased coverage on laboratory skills, new chapters on working with bacteria, eukaryotic microbes and viruses, and on assaying biomolecules, as well as new sections on online learning in a post-COVID world. In addition, 300 new and updated illustrations, tables, and tips – including 25 new ‘how to' boxes – have been added, along with numerous end-of-chapter study exercises (with answers provided on the companion website) to support self-evaluation.  

“A comprehensive and useful text on the practical techniques used in the biological sciences.” 

  • Dr Zenobia Lewis, University of Liverpool 

This edition includes a Companion Website.

Preface 

List of abbreviations 

Study strategies  

  1. Developing your skills
  2. Self-management 
  3. Learning effectively 
  4. Making the most of learning resources 
  5. Locating and citing published information 
  6. Evaluating information 
  7. Working with others 
  8. Mapping your personal development

Assessment skills  

  1. Succeeding in assessments 
  2. Scientific writing 
  3. Writing essays 
  4. Reporting practical and project work 
  5. Tackling literature surveys and reviews 
  6. Presenting written assignments
  7. Preparing a poster 
  8. Giving a spoken presentation 
  9. Revision strategies 
  10. Improving your performance in exams

Fundamental laboratory techniques  

  1. Preparing for practical work 
  2. Working safely in the lab and field
  3. Basic laboratory skills
  4. Measuring and dispensing liquids 
  5. Preparing solutions – principles and practice 
  6. Measuring and maintaining pH 

The investigative approach  

  1. Making measurements 
  2. Understanding SI units and their use 
  3. Observational skills 
  4. Recording data in the laboratory and field 
  5. Drawing diagrams
  6. Taking samples 
  7. Designing experiments 
  8. Understanding bioethics 
  9. Tackling project work and placements

Obtaining and identifying specimens  

  1. Collecting animals and plants 
  2. Collecting and isolating microbes 
  3. Fixing and preserving specimens 
  4. Naming and classifying organisms 
  5. Identifying plants and animals 
  6. Identifying microbes 

Examining specimens and samples  

  1. Understanding microscopy 
  2. Preparing specimens for light microscopy 
  3. Setting up and using a light microscope 
  4. Interpreting microscope images 
  5. Recording and processing photographic images 
  6. Measuring growth and responses 
  7. Dissection techniques 

Working with microbes, cells and tissues  

  1. Learning sterile technique 
  2. Culturing cells 
  3. Working with bacteria 
  4. Working with eukaryotic microbes: fungi and protists 
  5. Working with viruses 
  6. Working with animal and plant tissues and cells 

Environmental investigations  

  1. Developing fieldwork skills 
  2. Describing ecosystems 
  3. Analysing aquatic environments 
  4. Analysing soils and sediments 
  5. Measuring atmospheric variables 
  6. Measuring light 

Analytical techniques  

  1. Understanding chemical analysis 
  2. Understanding calibration and quantitative analysis 
  3. Assaying biomolecules 
  4. Centrifugation techniques 
  5. Using spectroscopic methods 
  6. Using chromatographic systems 
  7. Methods of electrophoresis 
  8. Studying Mendelian and population genetics 
  9. Investigating molecular genetics 
  10. Using immunological methods 
  11. Studying enzymes 
  12. Measuring oxygen content 
  13. Quantifying photosynthesis and respiration 
  14. Using radioisotopes 
  15. Analysing stable isotopes 

Analysing and presenting data  

  1. Manipulating and transforming raw data 
  2. Analysing data with spreadsheets 
  3. Summarising data in tables 
  4. Illustrating data in graphs 
  5. Solving numerical problems 
  6. Using descriptive statistics 
  7. Selecting and interpreting statistical tests 

Appendix 1  

Index 

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