Understanding Figures in Neuroscience Research
A Guide to Interpreting Graphs and Methods

A crash course in understanding neuroscience figures, graphs and the underlying methods. For undergraduates and graduates in neuroscience.

Austin Lim (Author)

9781009344227, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 June 2024

280 pages
25 x 17.5 x 2 cm, 0.649 kg

'I was impressed with the range and depth of the coverage. I had been pointing my students to various resources (mainly blog posts) online when they encountered a new type of graph, but it was hard to vet those sources. It's great to see such a compilation.' Justin Hulbert, Bates College

This innovative text introduces neuroscience students to the visual language of scientific publications, teaching scientific literacy, research methods, and graphical literacy in an engaging way. Employing a 'pictures first' pedagogical approach, it walks the reader step-by-step through the interpretation of neuroscience figures and explains the principles of experimental design. The major research techniques – from neuroimaging, to behavioral methods, to genetics and comparative approaches – are explored, illuminating how they are represented graphically in journal articles, and their strengths and limitations as a research tool. More than 130 example figures provide experimental paradigms for the more difficult-to-visualize methods, and depict actual results taken from the recently published scientific literature. Data from several study designs are discussed, including clinical case studies, meta-analyses, and experiments from behavior to molecular genetics. Concrete examples of experiments are provided along with each method, helping students with the design of their own research questions.

1. Introduction to data in research
2. Nonhuman behavioral methods
3. Gross anatomy and imaging
4. Cellular imaging
5. Molecular methods
6. Electrophysiology and electrochemistry
7. Genetics
8. Meta-analysis.

Subject Areas: Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR]