Thinking Inside the Box - Part I - Case Study Collection - National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science

Thinking Inside The Box Conference

Dear Fellow Box Researcher:

It is my pleasure to invite you and the members of your research group to attend the First Annual "Thinking Inside The Box" Conference. We would like you to present the results of your investigative studies on the contents of The Box.

A reminder of the ground rules for these studies:

Investigators must, to the best of their ability, describe the contents of The Box.
The Box may never be opened; the contents may NOT be looked at.

We look forward to your presentation at this conference.

Sincerely,

Chester Intrados
Conference Chair

You are working in your office at GenChemCo Industries one day when the above letter arrives. Of course, you had forgotten about your earlier commitment to assist The Box Studies Department in their quest towards a better understanding of the contents of The Box. So, you locate The Box sample that had been given to you (so long ago it now seems) and quickly gather your research group together.

I. The Research Group Study

"We've been invited to attend the Thinking Inside The Box Conference," you tell your group. "Let's see what we can do to put together a presentation for the conference. We need to describe the contents of The Box, but we may not open The Box or in any way look at its contents. Our goal is to characterize the contents, not guess what they are."

You choose a recorder, pass The Box around to each member of your research team, and begin to record and organize your observations. You, as the leader of your research group, should direct this conversation.

Date Posted: 11/15/02 nas
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