Practical Skills in Biology

Allan Jones, Chancellor's Award Fellow in Ecology, Environmental Science and Zoology at the University of Dundee, UK. Rob Reed, Emeritus Professor (Education and Science) at Central Queensland University, Australia. Jonathan Weyers, Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee, U

• Developing your skills Self-managementLearning effectivelyMaking the most of learning resourcesLocating and citing published informationEvaluating informationWorking with othersMapping your personal developmentAssessment skills Succeeding in assessments Scientific writingWriting essaysReporting practical and project workTackling literature surveys and reviewsPresenting written assignmentsPreparing a posterGiving a spoken presentationRevision strategiesImproving your performance in examsFundamental laboratory techniques Preparing for practical work Working safely in the lab and fieldBasic laboratory skillsMeasuring and dispensing liquidsPreparing solutions – principles and practiceMeasuring and maintaining pHThe investigative approach Making measurements Understanding SI units and their useObservational skillsRecording data in the laboratory and fieldDrawing diagramsTaking samplesDesigning experimentsUnderstanding bioethicsTackling project work and placementsObtaining and identifying specimens Collecting animals and plants Collecting and isolating microbesFixing and preserving specimens Naming and classifying organisms Identifying plants and animals Identifying microbes Examining specimens and samples Understanding microscopy Preparing specimens for light microscopy Setting up and using a light microscope Interpreting microscope images Recording and processing photographic images Measuring growth and responses Dissection techniques Working with microbes, cells and tissues Learning sterile technique Culturing cells Working with bacteria Working with eukaryotic microbes: fungi and protists Working with viruses Working with animal and plant tissues and cells Environmental investigations Developing fieldwork skills Describing ecosystems Analysing aquatic environments Analysing soils and sediments Measuring atmospheric variables Measuring light Analytical techniques Understanding chemical analysis Understanding calibration and quantitative analysis Assaying biomolecules Centrifugation techniques Using spectroscopic methods Using chromatographic systems Methods of electrophoresis Studying Mendelian and population genetics Investigating molecular genetics Using immunological methods Studying enzymes Measuring oxygen content Quantifying photosynthesis and respiration Using radioisotopes Analysing stable isotopes Analysing and presenting data Manipulating and transforming raw data Analysing data with spreadsheetsSummarising data in tables Illustrating data in graphs Solving numerical problems Using descriptive statistics Selecting and interpreting statistical tests