[MUSIC] Evaluating solutions and deciding on the best one is the final part in our problem solving process. Central to this process is decision making. Weighing up the pros and cons of each option and using various formal and informal method for deciding on the best solution. When we evaluate solutions on academic context, there are two groups of processes that work. Firstly, there are general processes that we can apply when evaluating solutions in any context. You might use these when you're deciding between solutions at work or when you're out shopping. Secondly, there are processes for evaluating solutions that are specific to academic culture and to specific field. When you're evaluating solutions at university it's important to keep both of these in mind. So, let's look at both of these kinds of processes. First, we'll focus on generalized methods for evaluating solutions to problems. Many of these come from studies in the psychology of everyday reasoning along with utility theories in economics. Fogler and LeBlanc's approach to solution evaluation is probably the best and most practical method for evaluating solutions in any particular context. They advise that the first step in problem evaluation be the creation of a decision statement, and what it is that you want to decide. Then following this sets of musts and wants should be created. The musts are the things that are essential to the solution. And the wants are those that are desirable. A list of objectives that need to be satisfied should then be created, and the objective should be weighted depending on how important they are. These weighted objectives can then be used to evaluate options for a possible solution. In order to see how Fogler and LeBlanc's method can be applied, let's use it to evaluate solutions for an everyday problem. Deciding what to have for dinner. We then need to make a decision statement, which would be something like choose what to have for dinner. We can now create sets of musts and wants. Musts might include things such as affordable and tasty. While wants might include, spicy or includes garlic. We then create a list of criteria with weightings between one and ten. Perhaps pay day is in a few days and we're a bit low on cash, so affordable is weighted at nine and tasty is weighted at eight. There might be some garlic in the cupboard that we want to use. So includes garlic gets a five, while we just happen to be in the mood for spicy food, so this gets a four. Fogler and LeBlanc point out that this process is highly subjective. But by establishing criteria, we are still structuring our evaluation and therefore making the solution more robust. When we have our criteria, we can finally evaluate our different options for dinner. When we use general approaches to solution evaluation like Fogler and LeBlancs in academic context, we can see the possible applications. Instead of the criteria for dinner, we might instead employ criterias specific to our subject and field also as stated earlier, the use of criteria will immediately strengthen our evaluation. However, there are also limitations. For example, such an approach might seem stilted or odd in many academic contexts. We instead need to use methods of solution evaluation that are natural to university, and maybe the methods particular to our field. We therefore need to combine general processes for evaluating solutions with processes specific to academic culture. However, when evaluating solutions in academic context, it's still important to keep in mind the general approaches. Think about your priorities, and use criteria. Just because you're problem solving in an academic context, doesn't mean you can put common sense to one side. What might be different when evaluating solutions in academic context is the need to use evidence. What counts as evidenced however, will differ between academic fields and schools of thought. Also it's important to display some sort of reference to disciplinary bodies of thought. Whether that's through reference to research literature, use of specific experimental methods or application of logical methods or formulas. We also need to consider when evaluating solutions in academic context, the ways of thinking that are specific to the course, and to our professors. This is particularly important, if the problem you have solved is assessed. Don't forget that a key reason for setting problems is to practice the forms of thought taught in your course by your teaching staff, and that you should display your ability to apply them. If a problem is assessed check the rubric for it and make sure that your solution and submission meets the criteria. Also, check the question again and see if your solution answers the problem. Make sure your solution meets the criteria of the assessor too. We will cover this in more detail in the communication for university success MOOC. If the teaching staff have a certain form of solution in mind, it might be best if your solution fits with that as well. [MUSIC]
