What Are the Characteristics of a Good Scientist?
Good scientists should possess several traits that include curiosity, critical thinking and rationality. They should also be able to use sound judgment and have a good imagination.
Curiosity is the trait that allows scientists to gather the information needed to conduct an experiment or study a particular branch of the discipline. Curiosity drives the individual to read about the topic, gather information, and plan how to use the information to determine how something works or the relationship between things.
Critical thinking involves the ability to use the information obtained and determine if it is relevant to the experiment or other components of the scientific process. This can include determining if the information is valid and believable. Critical thinking plays an important role in planning an experiment and predicting what may or may not work. It is essential to arrive at a sound conclusion or the best solution to the problem.
Rationality is the foundation behind any science work. It involves the ability to explain how something works and present justification for how the conclusion was formulated. While much scientific work involves objective thinking, an imaginative point of view allows the researcher to formulate different ways of testing to find a solution or find previous theories that help explain the current research. Sound judgment is required to ensure any findings made are accurate and valid.
