Dijkstra offers a concise set of principles for conducting scientific research. He advises researchers to work near the limits of their abilities, pursue problems where they can make a distinctive contribution and write as though their work will receive close scrutiny. When social relevance conflicts with scientific soundness, he argues that intellectual standards should take precedence.

Several points concern the choice and evaluation of research. Dijkstra recommends questioning complexity, testing ambitious projects critically before committing to them and avoiding work whose failure cannot be clearly recognised. He also urges researchers to think in decades rather than years and to resist pressures favouring work of merely temporary significance.

The closing advice concerns academic motivation and integrity. Recognition should be treated as a consequence of worthwhile work rather than an objective in itself. Dijkstra ultimately presents the pursuit of high standards and continual improvement as central to the academic enterprise.