Intellectual Standards in Scientific Thinking

Clarity
Could you elaborate further on your hypothesis (or idea)?
Could you give me a more detailed explanation of the phenomenon you have in mind?

Accuracy
How could we check on those data?
How could we verify or test that theory?
Could you be more specific?
Could you give me more details on the phenomenon?
Could you be more exact as to how the mechanism takes place?

Precision
How do those data relate to the problem?
How do they bear on the question?

Relevance
What factors make this a difficult scientific problem?
What are some of the complexities we must consider?

Depth
Do we need to look at this from another perspective?
Do we need to consider another point of view?
Do we need to look at this in other ways?

Breadth
Are all the data consistent with each other?
Are these two theories consistent?
Is this implied by the data we have?

Logic
Is this the central idea to focus on?
Which set of data is most important?

Significance
Do I have a vested interest in this issue which keeps me from looking at it objectively?
Am I misrepresenting a view with which I disagree?

Por J. Azevedo