Thinking and Deciding

CONCLUSION 59
the power of science. It cannot tell us how we ought to think ideally, nor how we
can best approximate this ideal. A scientist cannot “discover” what good thinking is:
That is still a matter for philosophy and design. In this spirit, the next chapter puts
forward a general prescriptive model based on the search-inference framework.
Exercise: Making a think-aloud protocol
Produce a think-aloud protocol for one of the problems given in the footnote —
don’t look yet — by making notes on your thoughts as they occur to you. Resist the
temptation to read the problem you are to think about until you are ready with pencil
and paper in hand. Transcribe your notes (adding explanations when necessary to
make them comprehensible). Aim for one or two pages (if typed double spaced).
Remember to record all of your thoughts. 6
Finally, in the margin of your transcription, classify the moves you made in terms
of the search-inference framework (ch. 1), using the following code (which you may
modify, as long as you describe your modifications):
SP — search for possibilities
SG — search for goals
SE — search for evidence
P — possibility recognized (stated)
G — goal recognized
E — evidence recognized
I — inference made (evidence used, conclusion drawn)
6 A. Why is it hotter in the summer than the winter?
B. What work (if anything) should be given to the entering Freshman class to read and discuss as part of its orientation?
C. Write a poem (or at least start one).
D. Successive squares (0, 1, 4, 9, ...) differbysuccessiveoddnumbers(1,3,5,...). Canthis rule be generalized?