• Question: what is your sucsess rate?

    Asked by purplewolf9 to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      An interesting question. Last week I carried out 3 experiments.The 2 biggest were successful and the smaller less interesting one was a total failure. So 2/3 going on last week’s evidence. The western blot a technique that identifies a single protein and uses antibodies failed. The DNA extraction and analysis worked and the analysis of multiple proteins worked. It was a good week.

      Not terribly accurate but best I can do.

    • Photo: Andrew Maynard

      Andrew Maynard answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Hi purplewolf9,

      110% – all the time!

      I guess it depends what kind of success we’re talking about here. In terms of research, I’ve had loads of experiments that have failed, or haven’t shown what I had expected – but in science it’s often these “failures” that are the most important. And because of the nature of research, I haven’t had too many projects that have been complete duds.

      Now, if we’re talking success rate of, say, speaking a foreign language (which is pretty important in science if you are going to collaborate with scientists around the world), I’d have to whisper a very quiet “0%”

    • Photo: Marianne Baker

      Marianne Baker answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      I have no idea!
      It depends what you define as success really.

      I think the big successes are far rarer than when things go a bit wrong or don’t turn out how you expected. But the successes are what keeps people going and they’re most rewarding! So you have to wait for them patiently and enjoy them when they happen.

Comments

  • Photo: purplewolf9

    purplewolf9 commented on :

    I’m not a great foreign speaker either. 🙂

  • Photo: Marianne

    Marianne commented on :

    I’m really getting into languages at the moment actually.

    I remember mum telling me I should learn French (I did some outside primary school but didn’t like it much; was good at it, but being forced to do something when you’re a kid tends to put you off!) – now I wish I really had as I work with loads of French people and I’m off to Paris for a colleague’s wedding in July!!

    I’ve been learning Russian since last autumn because I made some fantastic Russian friends and I’m off to visit them on Wednesday. Exciting… scary!

    I did German at school and rather enjoyed that; as I said in the chat today actually, I’d like to live there for a while, see what I can remember! I’m sure it’d come back to me with time.