That which is not measurable is not science. That which is not physics is stamp collecting.
Ernest RutherfordRead
If your experiment needs statistics, you ought to have done a better experiment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Good experiments should be designed to yield clear, direct results without the need for complex statistics to interpret them.
This quote by Ernest Rutherford emphasizes the importance of experimental design in scientific research. It suggests that a well-conducted experiment should produce results that are straightforward and informative, rather than relying on statistical analysis to make sense of ambiguous or poorly designed data. Rutherford advocates for clarity and rigor in scientific inquiry, implying that the quality of the experiment itself is paramount to the reliability of the conclusions drawn from it.
Themes
ExperimentStatisticsScientific ResearchDataDesign
In practice
Example use cases
During a scientific conference, when discussing the importance of experimental design.
More from Ernest Rutherford
All quotes βThe energy produced by the breaking down of the atom is a very poor kind of thing. Anyone who expects a source of power from the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine.
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I am a great believer in the simplicity of things and as you probably know I am inclined to hang on to broad & simple ideas like grim death until evidence is too strong for my tenacity.
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All science is either physics or stamp collecting.
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Now I know what the atom looks like.
Ernest RutherfordRead
If your result needs a statistician then you should design a better experiment.
Ernest RutherfordRead
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