“The complete sequence of steps taken ahead of time to ensure that the appropriate data will be obtained, which will permit an objective analysis and will lead to valid inferences regarding the stated problem.”

In other words, don’t just come up with an idea and a way to test it, come up also with ways to make certain you are testing the right thing and getting reliable answers that confirm your result. Write it down, examine it, examine any literature related to it or to how attempts to solve it have been made in the past.

The guys who finally created the metal amalgam used in artificial joints did this very thing. Up until they took information and experiments that previously said it can’t be done, everyone (but them) was convinced it couldn’t be done. In fact, their boss wouldn’t even fund the project past some supplies and they had to do it on their own time. Within a week, they had done what couldn’t be done because they applied this stringent practice to their work, ensuring better accuracy and precision for the outcome.

Looking forward to your next post.