“How Good is the Evidence: Personal Observation and Research Studies?”

1. The scientific method is a process of developing a reasonable hypothesis and then conducting an experiment to test it and collect data. The data is then analyzed, and a conclusion is made. The three main characteristics of the scientific method are verifiable or replicable data; control, which helps reduce potential bias; and precise and consistent use of language. Together, these three characteristics make research data and results reliable and dependable.

2. Surveys can be unreliable for numerous reasons. Often, surveys have ambiguous wording, so the questions can be interpreted differently by each responder. The length of the surveys can influence the data collected in comparison to what may actually be true. Survey questions must be answered honestly for accurate results, but the responses can be influenced (i.e., wording of the question, additional information provided). The population must also be considered. The sample space should be large and diverse to make sure the true population is well represented to ensure accurate results. When verifying the reliability of survey information, one must look at the procedure taken when conducting the survey. This includes examining the sample space, length of the survey, and the context given.

3. The pros of research studies include public verifiability, or the ability to have repeatable results; control, which minimizes outside factors and error; and precise language. This makes research studies more reliable. There are cons, however, making the findings problematic. Research varies greatly, thus making verifiability difficult to achieve. Variances include the quality and artificiality, meaning the research was conducted in a lab versus a more natural environment. Findings change over time, especially those concerning humans. This also creates contradictory among different research findings. Since the research is conducted by humans, error will occur, including bias and subjectivity. Findings are misused at times. People see research findings as a conclusion when the findings actually support for conclusions.

4. One question that can be used to evaluate research studies is “What is the quality of the source of the report?” By looking at the source of the research study, you can determine if it is reliable. The source can include the website, publisher, or journal that the study is in. Another question that can be asked is “How recently was the research conducted? By looking at the time frame in which the study was conducted, you can determine its relevance and how up to date the study is. The date in which the article was published can be found at the beginning of the report. The date or time frame in which the research was conducted can be found under the data and methods portion of the article. Both places are important because if there is a significant difference between the time the research was conducted and the article was published, more recent research findings could be used in the article. A third question that can be asked is “Are the conditions in the research artificial and therefore are distorted?” Knowing the conditions of the research is important because that can influence the results. If the entire research was conducted in labs versus a more natural setting for the studies, the true results may be distorted. Furthermore, if the researcher is looking for specific results, the controls may be different to if the researcher was not looking for specific results.

5. Scholarly, peer-reviewed research article to use for Short Formal Assignment 4:

Jang, H., & Reardon, S. F. (2019). States as sites of educational (in)equality: state contexts and the socioeconomic achievement gradient. AERA Open 5(3). 1-22. doi: 10.1177/2332858419872459