Books
I have written one book for the trade press, and another one that is a student study guide with Palgrave (later called Macmillan, Red Globe and ultimately Springer). My style is to present a single overarching idea – a thesis – and use it as a springboard into a synoptic overview of a fascinating topic. The texts I write mix historical narratives, scientific experiments and everyday common sense to illustrate the rich themes that my topics encompass.
My first book was on music and its role in culture and psychology – see below. My second book was on organizing and executing the planning, research and writing process during authoritative writing, including essays, PowerPoint slide shows, scientific posters, and reflective writing..
Witchel, Harry (2020): Writing for Biomedical Sciences Students, available to buy here on Amazon.
From understanding instructions and organising your research to editing your writing and effectively using feedback, Writing for Biomedical Sciences Students takes you through each stage of the assessment process. Chapters equip you with the tools and knowledge to tackle different types of assignment, including essays, lab reports, reflections, presentations and posters, with confidence.
The book also includes exercises that can be repurposed by instructors for classroom lessons.
You will learn how to:
- effectively manage your assignments
- streamline your research process
- critically evaluate different sources
- write in a clear and authoritative style
- reference accurately and avoid plagiarism
Enriched with examples, exercises and visual models throughout, alongside three annotated student assignments, this book is an ideal companion for biomedical sciences students of any level.
"By breaking writing tasks down into clear, simple steps, students can dip in and out of the book throughout their academic journey and gain clarity in what is often perceived as a daunting process." – Jane McKay, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
"An invaluable book packed with excellent guidance and strategies – a must for all biomedical science undergraduates." – Peter Bush, University of Brighton, UK
Witchel, Harry (2011): You Are What You Hear: How Music and Territory Make Us Who We Are, available to buy here on Amazon.
Have you ever wondered why music makes you feel so good? Why did we evolve to have music, and what does music do to us? You Are What You Hear is a bit of a romp compared to the usual science book. Based on my interest in music, pleasure and the brain, I explain how the body and the brain are influenced by different kinds of music, why some music makes us joyous, while other music makes us sad, or angry, or anxious, and how the brain interprets this music. I also show how music plays with our minds – what you think, how you decide what to buy, and even how smart you are. Throughout history, right up to the present day, armies have used music to energise their troops and conquer their enemies. How is it that your own music can empower you, while the wrong music can make you frustrated, worried, or hopeless? I show how music is a territorial display, and that it has been used throughout human history as a way to create group coherence and to disperse outsiders. In this book I bring together amusing historical anecdotes and engaging scientific evidence to explore how and why different groups use different music to claim their space and reinforce their identities. You really are what you hear!
An interview with BBC WORLD SERVICE about You Are What You Hear: