cookbookery

English

Etymology

From cookbook +‎ -ery.

Noun

cookbookery (uncountable)

1. (derogatory) The application of (especially mathematical) techniques learned by rote, without proper understanding or consideration.
   • 1964, Caribbean quarterly: Volumes 10-11:

     In this degenerate laboratory work, in this cookbookery of a ritual of recipes, the aim is not to do an honest experiment but to get the "right" answer.

   • 1968, Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, Optima: Volume 18:

     Most of the New Math is just what the Old Math was — cookbookery. The difference is that the cookbooks are newer, more up to date — which may be a good thing, if cookbookery is what you want.

   • 1992, Samuel Kotz, Norman Lloyd Johnson, Breakthroughs in Statistics: Methodology and distribution:

     The problem of cookbookery is not peculiar to data analysis. But the solution of concentrating upon mathematics and proof is.

Anagrams

• cookery book