Taylor Bouchard
Misconception About Scientific Process
It is a well known fact that the human brain is split into two halves: the right side and the left side. The right side of the brain is known for being intuitive and working with pictures and creativity, while the left brain is more analytical, and focuses on words, numbers, and facts (“Left Brain Vs Right Brain”). A common misconception about the human brain is that these two hemispheres seldom work in harmony, but in fact, this is not the case. These two parts of the brain work together nearly every chance they get. For example, when one looks at a house, the left brain helps in picking out specific pieces (windows, doors, etc.) while the right brain assists in things like the building's contours and the overall appearance (@PsychToday). The same principal can relate both the scientific method and the creative process to one another. Though one may think that the two are polar opposites that do not attract, the creative process is more necessary in the scientific process than one may think.
The scientific method is a way of conducting an experiment in order to answer a specific question. One must come up with a question, which would be researched and tested in the experiment. A hypothesis would be created as well which would establish the predicted outcome of the experiment. After the experiment itself had been done, data would be collected to determine whether or not the hypothesis could be accepted ("Steps of the Scientific Method."). The same tends to apply for the creative process.
In the creative process, one will start with a hunch: a hypothetical idea for a piece. From there they would get the word out about their idea, as well as finding muses for their projects. This can be done in the form of going to art museums, theater shows, etc. The actual creation of the piece requires trial and error. One will find things that they love, and things that they hate, and they will accommodate that in the piece by taking the time to improve its flaws and emphasize its high points. Only then, after countless hours of hard work, will the project be complete (Popova, Maria).
As it can be seen by the amount of similarities in the two processes, the creative process is definitely required in the scientific method. The creative process assists in suggesting new ideas when something has backfired, helping select word choice in lab write ups, and helping to figure out what to do better next time to improve the experimental design. For example, if Johnny were to be adding salt to an enzyme to see how it affected the reaction rate, and the increments he was adding salt in did not vary the data in any way, he might try adding them in greater or lesser amounts to change his results and see how those compare. The creative mind is required for both experimental design and to determine what will be done if failure occurs.
Because of their many cross overs in steps, it is clear to see that science does indeed require creativity. Science itself would cease to exist if people weren’t coming up with ideas on what to test and how to test it. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. It is being emphasized now more than ever: if the results of an experiment were not expected, go back and try it again, after figuring out what was done wrong and how to fix it (@NewsFromScience). And even in scenarios where it is a student being handed a paper with exact instructions, they must creatively come up with writing pieces about it when they are done collecting data. From entire processes of experimental design, to determining how to design a poster board or what colors to make a graph, creativity is necessary in the processes of science.
Works Cited
"Left Brain Vs Right Brain." UCMAS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
@NewsfromScience. "If You Fail to Reproduce Another Scientist's Results, This Journal Wants
to Know." Science | AAAS. N.p., 04 Feb. 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
Popova, Maria. "The 10 Stages of the Creative Process." Brain Pickings. N.p., 28 Sept. 2015.
Web.
21 Dec. 2016.
@PsychToday. "Left Brain, Right Brain: Two Sides, Always Working Together." Psychology Today.
N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
"Steps of the Scientific Method." Science Buddies. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
