Discussion Question

Scientific Method – Part 8 Discussion due April 10

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to assess your ability to:

· Define an observational study.

· Describe the main types of observational studies.

· Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of observational studies.

· Define an experimental study.

· Discuss the limitations of experimental studies.

Action Items

Review the key points and videos for this module.

1. Answer the following questions in your discussion post:

2. Compare and contrast observational studies with experimental studies.

a. Discuss at least two common issues that can affect the validity of experimental studies. Include an example for each.

b. In part 7 of this assignment, you discussed your poll/survey results. Now that you have had time to reflect on those results, what conclusions can you draw from your study?  

c. Are there any confounding factors in your study? (i.e., is there an underlying reason for any surprising results?)

d. Is your poll/survey question(s) appropriate for your hypothesis? (Was there a better way you could have worded the question(s)? Did you ask the “right” question(s)?).

e. Begin to identify the limitations of your study. (Think about your poll/survey tool, sample population, sample size, etc.).

f. It is common for researchers to identify the next steps for their study in a research article. The “next steps” often address the limitations they identified in their study. Based on your work in part 8, identify some next steps for your study.

g. What type of study would you embark on for your next steps (Experimental? Observational? Which type?) Explain the rationale for your choice.