University of Helsinki
Source: Twenty rules for good graphics
A set of rules, worth reading or re-reading at the start of the new academic year.
Why do we use t-test when one of its assumptions is violated? – ResearchGate
A crucial question, and as usual a spot-on answer by Jochen Wilhelm in ResearchGate’s questions and answers area.
The researchers behind ‘the biggest biotech discovery of the century’ found it by accident in DNA Research
[Business Insider] The discovery of the CRISPR genome-editing technology shows why basic research is so important.
I am posting this as an example that when doing research one has to broadly think how what one is working on may have useful implications for different problems than those we are aiming to study.
The other point, is that basic research, even if it does not have a known or expected application can have a huge contribution to solving practical problems.
Rigor and Reproducibility
The NIH (USA, National Institutes of Health) has opened a new web site on the subject, which although focused on Biomedical research, provides a good account of current trends and problems, how to overcome them and guidelines that could be easily adapted for the rest of the Biosciences including Plant Science.
Rigor and Reproducibility
Understanding statistics
Visualizations, specially dynamic ones can help in the understanding of statistical concepts. You can find some wonderful examples at a web site called R <- psychologist.
Do you understand hypothesis testing? and the controversy behind it?
Understanding Statistical Power and Significance Testing
Do you understand confidence intervals (CI)?
Interpreting Confidence Intervals
When you see a scatter plot are you able to guess a value for the correlation?
Interpreting Correlations
Have fun! and get some new insights about statistical tests.
An interview with Prof. Jorge J. Casal
In the interview Jorge has several insights about his career path and also advice for early stage researchers. I have been Jorge’s friend and collaborator for more than 30 years, and been a witness of how he has followed since he was an undergraduate the path he now gives as advice in the interview. The result has been a successful career doing very original research. (The article is not open-access, so the link will give you free access to the article only through the university network.)