• Question: How do you feel when a science experiment fails/goes wrong?

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      Asked by anon-129382 to Megan, Mzamo, Ola, Olivia, Weiyi on 7 Nov 2016.
      • Photo: Megan Seymour

        Megan Seymour answered on 7 Nov 2016:

        I used to find it really difficult and get a bit upset, but actually it’s an important part of science.
        In my field of research, most experiments don’t do exactly what you want, so I’m pretty used to it know. You have to think about why it went wrong and use this to plan your next experiment and keep moving forwards.

      • Photo: Mzamo Shozi

        Mzamo Shozi answered on 7 Nov 2016:

        I get disappointed but I do the experiment again. If it still goes wrong then I look for another way of doing the experiment. That is what research in science is about.

      • Photo: Ola Michalec

        Ola Michalec answered on 7 Nov 2016:

        Dealing with the risk of failure and critique from your colleagues in an important (and unavoidable) part of being a scientist. I found it really hard in the first year (no one likes to be criticised!), but now I learnt to not take it personally. A failed experiment does not mean I am a bad researcher – as long as I understood my mistake and can learn from it.

      • Photo: Olivia Ashton

        Olivia Ashton answered on 8 Nov 2016:

        Pretty sad at first to be honest. After putting in all the prep work and then time and effort into the experiment, when it all goes wrong its a bit of a bummer. But that’s what science is – problem solving. So although at first its gutting, it becomes a new problem to solve and sometimes experiments that go wrong can give you more interesting information then one that goes right!

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