Essential Skills for Science and Technology covers the full range of skills students need to succeed in the various disciplines that fall under the heading of science and technology. Focused on step-by-step skills development, this book aims to help readers become better students who are more likely to succeed.

The book focuses on three key skills areas – research, argumentation and critical analysis; quantitative methods; and the conventions of written and oral communication. Key topics include an introduction to tertiary study, e-learning & assessment; reading scientific literature, thinking & arguing critically; writing, research and presenting; and quantitative methods including fundamental mathematics, calculus, problem solving & statistics.

Key Features

• New design to ensure maximum accessibility of information
• Step-by-step skills development in each chapter
• Clarifies how to read scientific literature and understand its different language style
• Explains how to collate data and construct a unique perspective on a scientific issue and present it in both written and oral forms
• Provides instruction in the fundamentals of mathematics and quantitative methods
• Addresses common hurdles faced by students, based on the authors’ years of experience in the Student Learning Centre at Flinders University

Part 1 You and Tertiary Study

1. You and the University
2. Being Organised

Part 2 Leaning and Researching

3. Modes of Learning for Higher Education
4. Lectures, Tutorials, and Laboratories
5. E-learning and Research
6. Assessments

Part 3 Critical Evaluation

7. Reading Scientific Literature
8. Critical Thinking
9. Academic Argument

Part 4 Writing and Presenting in the Sciences

10. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
11. Referencing Styles
12. Writing for the Sciences
13. Writing a Report
14. Writing a Laboratory Report
15. Writing an Article Review
16. Presentation Skills: Talks and Posters
17. Editing Your Writing

Part 5 Quantitative Methods

18. An Approach to Problem Solving
19. Fundamental Mathematics
20. An Introduction to Calculus

Appendices

1 Key words in written assignment questions

2 Unusual plurals

3 Prefixes

4 The use of apostrophes

5 SI units and fundamental constants

Bibliography

Online Resources

Peter Zeegers – Former Head of Student Learning Centre, Flinders University

Kate Deller-Evans – Coordinator of Professional Writing, Adelaide Centre for the Arts

Sandra Egege – Lecturer, Student Learning Centre, Flinders University

Christopher Klinger – Director of Foundation Studies, University of South Australia