I could not agree more with Dr. Hoar’s position on corrosion research:

 Now what I wanted to say was, many of these things are to be found in the literature, and not only the recent literature, either. I think we all ought to go home and do considerably more reading, and far less experimental work. People will not read the literature. Most of it is there already.”

Now, not everything that has been published is of good quality; however, if we fail to understand the work that has been already done we will never advance the field.

References

Proceedings “Symposium on The Coupling of Basic and Applied Research – A Dialogue”, NACE International (Washington D.C., March 21-22, 1966): p.90.