The Discovery of Insulin: A Case Study of Scientific Methodology
Article comments
Copyright © 2012 National Association of Biology Teachers. The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/abt.2012.74.1.4.
Abstract
The nature of scientific research sometimes involves a trial-and-error procedure. Popular reviews of successful results from this approach often sanitize the story by omitting unsuccessful trials, thus painting the rosy impression that research simply follows a direct route from hypothesis to experiment to scientific discovery. The discovery of insulin is a classical case study in this genre that begs for an explanation to our students because it is so often ignored or misrepresented even in biology and physiology textbooks.
Suggested Citation
William D. Stansfield. "The Discovery of Insulin: A Case Study of Scientific Methodology" The American Biology Teacher 74.1 (2012): 10-14.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wstansfi/25