Research Methods

Listed below are the questions we would like to ask about the way the research was carried out. These questions are more fully explained and then they are related to some more general questions which you might ask about any report of experimental research.

How many students was it tested on?
If he only used two or three students, for example, they might have recovered by chance or because they had particularly strong constitutions.
In general, questions need to be asked about the Sample Size.

How were they selected? (eg how drunk did they have to be?)
If the sample students weren’t selected as a representative of a large population of people with hangovers, then the results wouldn’t be transferable.
In general, questions need to be asked about the Representativeness of the Sample.

Did the research compare their recovery with similar students who didn’t take the cure?
If he didn’t do this, there is no way of knowing whether the students would have recovered just as quickly without the cure.
In general, questions need to be asked about the Control Group.

How did he define and measure recovery?
If it was ‘self-reported’ – ie students were asked whether they felt better, their reports would have been very subjective.
In general, questions need to be asked about Outcome Measures.

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Adapted from the Open University's SAFARI tutorial by Cardiff University, with permission from the Open University Library.