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Weak Places in the Methods Used in Animal Nutrition Investigations

The Institute of Animal Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State College

Abstract

The old adage, "a chain is no stronger than its weakest link" is to a large extent at least, applicable to investigations in that their results are no better than the weakest part of the methods employed.

Should it be known, however, that there is a certain percentage of possible error in some one of the processes or methods used in an experiment, it certainly should be no argument for only carrying the rest of the methods to that same degree of accuracy, as is frequently claimed.

In any elaborately planned comprehensive scientific investigation the work should always be done as accurately as the best available methods ordinarily permit, for the reason, if for no other, that the accumulated analytical and other data can be worked over and used for side studies which would not be influenced by an error in some one or more steps of the investigation as a whole.