The aim of scientific research is to make discoveries. Even if most research efforts do not lead to any discovery, some researchers sometimes make discoveries. How do they proceed? The discovery process is largely personal, but it nevertheless obeys general rules. These rules can be analyzed, and used to guide the activities of researchers. The lecture will address such questions as:  How do successful researchers proceed to make discoveries? How can researchers (including students) use the rules of discovery to improve their success? How can young researchers best manage their careers? The lecture will be based on a e-book that can be dowloaded from the internet free of charge: 

http://www.int-res.com/booke16/-series/excellence-in-ecology-books/e (link: "Click to download").