As a consumer of research reports, the most important things for me in the methods and results section of a high-quality quantitative research report are…
- A clear procedure that provides statistically valid and credible results. The procedure of a study must explicitly explain why a research design was chosen and appropriate for the study. Readers can only understand the overall study if the steps and variables considered are explained for contextual reasoning. Clarity in the procedure also helps readers understand the findings and correlations between the variables. The procedure must also produce valid and credible results that consider all possible variables, statistics, and instruments used.
- Detailed explanation of the results that include descriptive statistics. While descriptive statistics are important, the mass of numbers, symbols, and statistic names at the end can be overwhelming for me. A detailed interpretation of these results and the analysis of the results in relation to the original hypothesis helps me focus on the study’s purpose.
- An ethical procedure is highly important as I believe every participant deserves respect and the assurance that their best-interest is considered. With past experience reading studies in psychology, it is horrifying to read how studies can turn inhumane even with the initial innocent intentions. Ethics must be carefully examined as all possible outcomes – good or bad – are plausible.
Question:
Do you have an example of an ethically controversial study you participated in or read? What was the result of the study?