Developing and Nurturing Interesting and Researchable Ideas

Aquick search of the Internet would suggest that ideas can easily be developed into something great; simply “tear them apart,” “keep it simple,” “play with them,” “find courage,” “stay loose,” or “ask a child.” Yet when confronted with actually needing to develop a new and interesting idea, the task can quickly become quite daunting and often frustrating. Ask a student to come up with a new idea, and the first response is often panic. Ask a seasoned researcher, and the response is as likely to be “Call me later” as it is to be “When can we start?” The simple truth is that coming up with good ideas is not a simple ...