I had the same curiosity when I started graduate studies. This book helped a lot, it goes through this and many other academic/technical issues, giving a good insight on the "non-spoken" rules of the game and how scientists actually think. It was some kind of an underground classic at the time I went through it (earlier edition) and a very light and entertaining read.

http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Games-Scientists-Play-Sinderma...