The Scientific Method Today

Anthropologist and author Margaret Mead had a lifetime goal to learn about human nature.

Her research answered basic questions about human personality.

Her plan of action included college study, specialized training, and actually living with primitive societies to observe and study them.

It was due to careful planning that Gregor Mendel was successful in his experiments with pea plants which provided new insight into the laws of heredity.

His goal was to find out how characteristics of parents are passed on to offspring.

Stage #3 :

• Goals must be realistic, flexible, and subject to change.
• Put goals in writing. This helps analyze priorities and avoid carelessness.
• Consider methods, processes, technologies, systems, strategies, and formulas needed.
• Set target dates for stages and completion.
• Learn to process information efficiently.

In considering goals, think about:

• Planning speeds solutions and avoids wasted time and effort. Put plans in writing.
• Develop a plan to use today's huge computer databases of information.
• Abstract and Outline: theories, concepts and basic principles involved in the problem.
• Consider breaking down into sub-problems; each may require a plan.
• Plan must be flexible. When working on complex, ill-structured problems, things will change frequently. Thus, don't start with too detailed a plan.
• Plan for overall solution. Preliminary program for each ingredient of SM-14.
• At start of work on each ingredient, prepare revised program for this ingredient.
• Compile tentative solutions. Know the scope of areas you are going to search.
• Experiment and test. Watch for methods to test tentative solutions.
• Similar problems may have been solved before. Review records to benefit from experiences.
• Use Intuition and Insightto save time and aid direction.
• Build your team and involve its members in goals and planning.
• When solving ill-structured problems tolerate ambiguities.
• Plan how to control constants and variables.

A few other things to consider in your planning: