Author
Thomas E. Ludwig, Hope College
S. Stavros Valenti, Hofstra University
Synopsis
Putting together a research study is challenging work. In this activity, you will explore some of the major pitfalls of the process of designing a research study and then read descriptions of three hypothetical studies. Each of these hypothetical studies has one major flaw and several minor problems. You will be asked to identify the major flaw in each study.
Planning and conducting a good research project is no small task. There are many complexities to consider when developing a research study, and there is always a chance that the results may not support the researcher’s hypothesis. While this activity will test your knowledge of some of the common pitfalls in developmental research, let’s review some of the basic concepts in research methodology.
Research Goals
Depending on the goal of their study, researchers generally adopt one of three methods when designing a study.