Researchers today require the right resources to navigate the complexities of academia and innovation. Here are the top 10 books that provide essential guidance for researchers:
Book: Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! – Richard Feynman
This engaging memoir of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman showcases the power of curiosity in scientific research. Such an insight can be helpful to problem solvers, creators and those who think out of the box and can be considered as a valuable read for researchers who are aiming to cross the conventional barriers.
source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35167685-surely-you-re-joking-mr-feynman
Book: Building a Successful Career in Scientific Research – Phil Dee
This book also provides strategies for the PhD student and postdoc of the research world. It contains basic skills like networking, publishing, and career progression, which make it a good companion to an early career researcher.
Book: The Craft of Research – Wayne C. Booth, et al.
As a must read for researchers this book teaches, how to conduct research, how to argue strongly, and how to effectively express findings. It is especially beneficial for people doing dissertations, journal papers or research proposals.
Book: A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? – Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
In a mixture of science, humor, and critical analysis, this book looks into the feasibility and problems of space colonization. Although it is not a straight research methods book, it encourages researchers to view the problems in an interdisciplinary perspective and with a critical thought.
Book: Stylish Academic Writing – Helen Sword
Not always dry, academic writing can be made clearer, more engaging, and more impactful with research conversion from the author of this book. It is beneficial for writing research papers, writing grant proposals and dissertations, doing scholarly communication better.
source: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/file/feeds/PDF/9780674064485_sample.pdf
Book: Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches – John W. Creswell
This book gives a comprehensive guide to research methodologies, helping scholars choose the most appropriate approach for their studies. It is particularly useful for structuring research, designing experiments, and interpreting data.
source: https://www.ucg.ac.me/skladiste/blog_609332/objava_105202/fajlovi/Creswell.pdf
Book: Data Management for Researchers – Kristin Briney
It is a vital book for efficient handling of data research, teaching researchers how to make use of data organization, storage, as well as data sharing. Reproducibility and long term success in academic and industrial research as well as proper data management is critical.
Book: Survival of the Sickest – Sharon Moalem
The impact of diseases on the course of evolution is explored in this book and the work of medical researchers is shown to be deeply entwined in genetics and history. Therefore, it motivates researchers to stand aside from their discipline and take a look at problems in their wider context.
source: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/survival-of-the-sickest/summary
Book: The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education
It aims to identify and question current PhD system critically, and to provide guidance for a successful academic or alternative career life. It is particularly helpful for graduate students who are looking for a clearer idea of career options after tenure track positions in academia.
Book: Getting Things Done – David Allen
When it comes to research, time management is everything and this book is based on offering a structured approach to productivity. It allows the researchers to do as they please and manage projects, sorting the tasks as they are needed, reducing the stress of the research and making the work more organized and efficient.
Underrated yet important books:
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport: This book emphasizes the importance of focused work in achieving significant results.
How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing” by Paul J. Silvia: This book gives practical advice on becoming a productive academic writer.
source: https://epigrammetry.hypotheses.org/4041
The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research” by Marian Petre & Gordon Rugg: This guide explains the essential but often unspoken aspects of doctoral research.
source: http://postgrado.bio.uc.cl/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Unwritten-Rules-of-PhD-Research.pdf