Longwindedly, but more accurately, this book could have been entitled ‘The General Principles of Scientific Research for Obtaining Data for Engineering Design’.

In the contemporary world of engineering, the designer tends to become a specialist while needing to become a general practitioner. Knowing more and more about less and less, he should be learning more and more about more and more.

This is especially true when he finds that to complete a design he lacks some essential data that can only be found by research.

Now being a good designer does not automatically mean that he is gifted at doing research. Nor does it automatically mean that he is not gifted at it. Neither he, nor the Company or University that employs him, know the answer, and much water may flow under the bridge and much money flow out of the bank before they both can be sure what his aptitude is.

The intention of this book is to ensure that whatever the state of the reader is when he begins reading it, he will, at least, be slightly suitable for carrying out research responsibility by the time he reaches the end of it.

For the old hands I hope a realistically illustrated philosophy based on over forty years experience of research may prove a pattern that will add significance and order to their own.

Finally, this book is one in a series of three, which touch without overlapping, and are intended to cover the whole spectrum of engineering design.