Under The Microscope

RESEARCH IN MEDICINE: PLANNING A PROJECT -- WRITING A THESIS, 2ND EDITION, by George Murrell, Christopher Huang, Harold Ellis; Cambridge University Press, 1999; 122 pp; $55.95

Reviewed by Craig Webster

Anyone contemplating research in medicine for the first time would be likely to find this book very useful. It is a common-sense, practical guide to the entire research process, from the beginning of thinking about doing some research to your job prospects once you have finished and published. Much of the book is in the form of check-lists which makes reading quick and easy.

Although the book is specifically aimed at medical doctors (it contains much detail of medical degree structures and when it is best to fit research into your career), it would also be useful for those considering para-medical careers in research. Degree structures from different countries are compared, and useful advice is given on how much research needs to be done to qualify for a Masters versus a PhD.

Many of the small details which trip-up novice researchers are discussed -- such as establishing an accord with the photographic department before expecting them to produce all the plates for your thesis. The critical importance of choosing the right supervisor is also emphasised. Many students starting a Masters degree do not even consider the prospect of publishing their work and so this "how-to" manual is useful in outlining possibilities. Writing a thesis requires quite different skills to that of being a good experimentalist, and the book considers the different demands of the laboratory versus your writing desk and how to best accommodate these. Writing up your research as an academic paper requires slightly different skills again and the authors discuss the question of who should help and whether this should be done during your thesis work or after it is finished.

Many may feel that the last thing they need when starting a programme of research or a graduate research degree is another book to read. Accordingly this book is short, to the point, has cartoons, and warns of most of the pitfalls that the novice researcher may fall into.

Craig Webster is currently a clinical researcher in the Anaesthetics Department at Auckland's Green Lane Hospital.