Just Accepted

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

The Value of Telling it Like it Was. The Best Honours Project Ever?

Christopher Barnett , Thomas Maschmeyer, Anthony Masters, Alexander Yuen

Abstract

We use the example of textbook treatments of the “Rutherford nucleus” to illustrate the need to avoid conflating important concepts, the “brick in the wall” path to scientific understanding, the value in testing one’s understanding, the utility of “incorrect” models, and the importance of not ignoring seemingly inexplicable infrequent results.

CH25070  Accepted 17 June 2025

© CSIRO 2025