Digital BW, The Print

I know there is a scanning list somewhere but I don't wanna...
but I might later, besides it applies.

I've taken to this as habit when starting a new image.

I scan as Transparency in RGB & Greyscale as well as Negative.
Basically try several options trying for the best in each.  Sometimes 
applying White/Black point etc.  Experimenting really.

Now none of them look like the print I would want at the end, figure 
I'll get there someday.  But then I start working through the 
histograms of each, looking for a consistent presence of tone and 
maybe a hump of information on the end I'm most concerned about.

I'm figuring if the info isn't there, of course it's no good.
If there is a bulk of info there, then it can be drawn out.

???  If YOU are working on an image, are you visual biased (a light 
or dark image on screen) by scans based on the tones you hope to 
acheive with the final print OR do you just go with what you THINK is 
a good histogram of info. ???

Thanks,
Cleavis