Finagle's Laws for Experimenters

1. If an experiment works, something has gone wrong.

2. No matter what the anticipated result, there will always be someone eager to
   • misinterpret it
   • fake it, or
   • believe it happened to his own pet theory.

3. In any collection of data, the figure most obviously correct, beyond all need of checking, is the mistake. Corollaries:
   1. No one whom you ask for help will see it.
   2. Everyone who stops by with unsought advice will see it immediately.

4. Once a job is fouled up, anything done to improve it only makes it worse.

Rules:

1. To study a subject best, understand it thoroughly before you start.
2. Always keep a record of data -- it indicates you've been working.
3. Always plot your curves, then plot your reading.
4. In case of doubt, make it sound convincing.
5. Experiments should be reproducible -- they should all fail in the same way.
6. Do not believe in miracles -- rely on them.

Source: Arthur Bloch, "Murphy's Law"