How do you improve your bio skills? - I dint know where to put this (May/16/2011 )
The most general answer would be, "Read, Study, Revise, Practice"
I am asking for unique styles of improving oneself and something which is more smart that reading 10+ 20 page papers on an article to learn barely two pages or more on average (based on one's capacity).
I was curious cos sometimes I feel really horrible and strange that I dont know anything in my field and I also dont know how to go about studying it 
And reading more than a few papers at a time figuratively almost kills me >.<;;
metaltemujin on Mon May 16 14:02:26 2011 said:
The most general answer would be, "Read, Study, Revise, Practice"
I am asking for unique styles of improving oneself and something which is more smart that reading 10+ 20 page papers on an article to learn barely two pages or more on average (based on one's capacity).
I was curious cos sometimes I feel really horrible and strange that I dont know anything in my field and I also dont know how to go about studying it
And reading more than a few papers at a time figuratively almost kills me >.<;;
hey metaltemujin....this would probably be better off in the venting and counselling subforum where you'd get many as well as more serious replies...and perhaps, you're being too hard on yourself or setting up the bar so high so you'd end up being more frustrated then...and when you start comparing yourself with the Big Bang Theory Boys, then you'd literally kill yourself...
...so take it easy, set up more realistic goals, you know your capability...and if you have anyone to discuss with, that always helps even if it's just to reaffirm that you really have still lots to learn and ways more to go.... Well, I thought i'd put it there, but it wasn't exactly venting.
I was more on the lines of asking real researchers out there on how they improve their skills. Its more like I am fishing for ideas and asking people about their own technical practices.
p.s: if it still deserves to change forums, then how do I do it? Restart the topic or pester a mod to move this there 
metaltemujin on Mon May 16 15:20:50 2011 said:
Well, I thought i'd put it there, but it wasn't exactly venting.
I was more on the lines of asking real researchers out there on how they improve their skills. Its more like I am fishing for ideas and asking people about their own technical practices.
p.s: if it still deserves to change forums, then how do I do it? Restart the topic or pester a mod to move this there
well, you can always pester Homebrew or Phage but nope, you'd have more fun if you keep it here...how did you do your stair-like sig? It's really annoying...
I really recommend reading this paper: click (Stress in Biomedical Research by Douglas Green), it's a good read and certainly helpful. I mean, he's exaggerating, plus he's got no wet work to do, but he got a point. A good starting point, that is.
Not that I am really an expert on this but I've had my share of frustrating moments especially at congresses feeling like a kindergarden child compared to the annoyingly witty professors with huge departments and annoyingly perfect publications. I think every language in the world has a version of the saying: "those that know do, those that don't know teach". In other words once you get your hands dirty, you will know exactly what you need to know. You will also know very well which papers to read and what to remember.
My 2c. Best of luck.
I think reading is definitely a good start--but reading should be an active process, rather than just something to pass the time. You have to really think about what you're reading--actually look at the figures and decide whether or not you believe them, how they might be improved, or what you like about them. And then go back and think about how this new information applies to your work or to what you already know.
Well, in my case, if its about a certain topic... and i have no clue what it is about,
1. I start with wikipedia (I know its cheap, but cant help it )
I get a general Idea out of it.
2. I also look for what kind of tags i'll need to use to get good hits on google
3. I read some interesting articles and news, so that I find something that might retain my interest as papers can get dry really fast.
4. I dont often go to the library, I know its a bad habbit, but meh. So search for stuff with the net.
The biggest problem with bio majors or researches i have noticed is that most are clueless on how to use the computer or the internet efficiently to broadcast their ideas of opinions.
The second biggest the secrecy - I do understand the reasons, but still... sounding like a robot spewing out technicalities only retains the interest of veterans in the field. all newbies are mostly highly repelled. Its hard to resist the 'runaway from the crazy talk' syndrome.
but it dosn't always work for me, that's why this topic.
vetticus3 on Fri Dec 18 00:59:53 2009 said:
well, you can always pester Homebrew or Phage but nope, you'd have more fun if you keep it here...how did you do your stair-like sig? It's really annoying...
a. I am used to how forums (the design of it) work, so I can play around with the text and all.
b. Its really simple. See below
Lifeattimesisapain
Is done like this:Life<.sup>at<.sup>times<.sup>is<.sup>a<.sup>pain<./sup><./sup><./sup><./sup><./sup>
Hope that helped
(remove the dots... i'd like to say periods, but this is a bio forum :|)
metaltemujin on Mon May 16 19:16:09 2011 said:
Well, in my case, if its about a certain topic... and i have no clue what it is about,
1. I start with wikipedia (I know its cheap, but cant help it
)I get a general Idea out of it.
2. I also look for what kind of tags i'll need to use to get good hits on google
3. I read some interesting articles and news, so that I find something that might retain my interest as papers can get dry really fast.
4. I dont often go to the library, I know its a bad habbit, but meh. So search for stuff with the net.
The biggest problem with bio majors or researches i have noticed is that most are clueless on how to use the computer or the internet efficiently to broadcast their ideas of opinions.
The second biggest the secrecy - I do understand the reasons, but still... sounding like a robot spewing out technicalities only retains the interest of veterans in the field. all newbies are mostly highly repelled. Its hard to resist the 'runaway from the crazy talk' syndrome.
but it dosn't always work for me, that's why this topic.
vetticus3 on Fri Dec 18 00:59:53 2009 said:
well, you can always pester Homebrew or Phage but nope, you'd have more fun if you keep it here...how did you do your stair-like sig? It's really annoying...
a. I am used to how forums (the design of it) work, so I can play around with the text and all.
b. Its really simple. See below
Lifeattimesisapain
Is done like this:Life<.sup>at<.sup>times<.sup>is<.sup>a<.sup>pain<./sup><./sup><./sup><./sup><./sup>
Hope that helped
(remove the dots... i'd like to say periods, but this is a bio forum :|)
ooooh....and if you're so used to "how forums (the design of it) work" blablabla...how could you have misquoted me?
I think that the bioresearchers would have to live up to the crazy hair, crazy look and crazy talk syndrome...and we can't blame them for the secrecy though...noone wants to get scooped so they won't be releasing details of their work.
try reading reviews instead of research articles...then you'll get more broad information instead of minute details.