Something I’ve found really useful—a mindset I inherited from my dear PhD supervisor, Prof Connell!—is, when I am considering or working on an idea or a project, to ask “What is the upper limit of this idea?”

Examples:

  • What is the broadest possible scope of this scientific paper?
  • To what other worthwhile uses could this piece of research or data analysis be put?
  • How can this paper be written, published, or publicised to maximise its influence?
  • How could this data analysis be automated, shared with others, or otherwise applied for maximum benefit?

The really beautiful bit is this: when a gas expands, it becomes bigger but also lighter (the physicists will forgive me here). When an idea expands, it can become more powerful while also making it easier to execute.

Examples:

  • It can be faster to automate data analysis than even doing it one time manually
  • Publishing a broad-scope paper in a high-tier journal often presents less difficulty during peer review than a narrow-scope paper in a mid-tier journal, as the former journals tend to be more open-minded
  • Sharing data with others can reveal any obvious mistakes!