|
Stages or Ingredients
of SM-14 |
Method or Guide keeps thoughts en route to new reliable knowledge
|
1. Curious Observation  |
Be alert - What is needed? Be skeptical - Prevent trouble. Discover problems. Ask why? |
2. Is there a problem?
 |
Analyze problem carefully, as Einstein stated, "A problem properly defined is often half solved." |
3. Goals & Planning
 |
Break problem down into sub problems. Consider any solutions as tentative till complete Stage 6. |
4.
Search, Explore, & Gather the Evidence
 |
Search internet, books, and other sources. Follow leads. Explore all angles. Build files. |
5.
Generate Creative & Logical Alternataive Solutions
 |
Search for ideas, read publications to trigger your imagination. think reflectively. |
6.
Evaluate the Evidence
 |
If possible, chart evaluations of your tentative solutions or theories. Compare and test. |
7.
Make the Educated Guess (Hypothesis)
 |
State your working hypothesis explicitly. Make predictions for testing. |
8. Challenge the Hypothesis
 |
Test. Experiment. Control variables. Attempt to falsify. |
9. Reach a Conclusion
 |
Can others test and confirm your conclusions? |
10. Suspend Judgement
 |
Keep an open mind and be ready to accept new evidence. Knowledge is forever changing. |
11. Take
Action
 |
|
Below are the Supporting Ingredients
used at all the preceeding stages of SM-14 |
|
12. Creative, Non-Logical,
Logical, & Technical Methods
 |
Use all types of action methods at all stages to actually accomplish results. |
13. Procedural Principles & Theories
 |
Follow those used by researchers everywhere but "anything goes" (if ethical). |
14. Attributes & Thinking Skills
 |
Be honest, team worker, communicator, etc. Use creativity - reason .logically. |
| * Use shaded stages for less complex and less important problems and decisions. | |
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| Copyright © 2006-2007, Norman W. Edmund; Worksheet may be reproduced freely - please credit. | ||