Scientific methods in research are largely determined by nature of the study. In some cases, the scientist uses the survey method for collecting data from the relevant subjects. While in other cases, indoor or outdoor experimental approach can crack a scientific problem. Still in the current era of digitalisation, it’s up to scientists whether they want to make a computerised model for addressing a scientific problem or not? Further, sometimes while starting a scientific method in research, the scientists even don’t know what might happen next. Moving with a definite goal in scientific research becomes difficult sometimes. But no matter what the case is, issues always arise in the context of a research’s scientific methods. Different scientific methods have different issues that are necessary to overcome. Let’s discuss a few of them;
- Survey methods
- Experimental methods
- Case study
- Observations
The general steps in all scientific processes include data collection, data interpretation, and making a scientist story for addressing the problem. Moreover, in all scientific methods, the research starts either from research questions, or hypotheses. In case if you have any difficulty, you can get help from dissertation writing services. However, if you are writing on your own, these tips about survey and experimental methods for highlighting issues will be much helpful.
Survey methods:
Survey is a scientific method to design both qualitative, and quantitative research. But currently, the survey methods are facing many challenges. Though the issues in a survey method depend on interpersonal setting, time of study, and area where you’re planning a survey study. Still these days, the participant’s agreement issues emerge at the top. Participants of the current era are more aware of personal data protection concerns than they were in the past. So a majority of them refuse to participate in surveys. Following informed consent, the researchers cannot force a participant to give reviews. The willingness of the participants is of prime importance in surveys. But participant’s disagreement is not the only problem in the domain of survey research. Rather, the survey researcher also has to face many other problems like response biasness, and data interpretations based mistakes.
It’s nearly impossible to solve all the problems through any specific scientific method. But still, to overcome some of these issues, good communication skills, and a large social circle can make a huge difference. Moreover, the following steps will help you in catering to most of them;
Steps to overcome issues for scientific method in research- Surveys
Be careful while forming a survey:
This step will help you in overcoming the response biasness-related problems in scientific methods regarding research-the surveys. Most of the time, response biasness results from incorrect interpretations of the survey questions. So first of all, the researcher should make short, or clear questions for addressing the wrong interpretation problems that may result in response biasness. Secondly, while formulating a questionnaire for a survey, the researcher should avoid asking too long concepts. It may irritate the participants, so a better way of doing this is to divide a long concept into different questions for the ease of participants. The more relaxed a participant feels while solving a questionnaire, the lesser will be the chances of response biasness.
Keep the time interval short
After addressing the biasness, the next step must be to think about how much time the participant will take for solving a questionnaire. It is important to note that the questionnaire should take less of the participant’s time. This should be between 2-5 minutes, which are more than enough. To keep the questionnaire short, the best approach is to only add the questions that are most relevant to a problem statement. If this is ensured, it automatically removes all biasness by increasing the participant’s interest.
Like the steps for overcoming response biasness, there are a few steps for solving the participant disagreement issues as well. Let’s discuss them next;
- Keep your login credentials secret.
- Proactively manage, or change passwords.
- Keep a secret email account that only you can access.
Experimental Methods:
No doubt science is incomplete without experimentation. Though experimental scientific methods in research have countless benefits. But still, the experimenters have to face dozens of uncertainties, or issues in these methods. Among the long list of problems, financial issues are the one that almost all experimenters have to face. Moving forwards, the appropriate invivo or invitro experimental conditions are part of another issue that is most difficult to cater at once. Time stands third in the experimental design issues’ list. Experiments often take too long to be fruitful. The list of experiment as scientific methods in research varies from discipline to discipline. But the ones highlighted above are a few issues that almost every experimenter has to solve.
Steps to overcome issues for scientific method in Research-Experiments
As per experimental settings, the nature, or solution of the scientific problems may vary. But some steps for solving the above issues in experimental methods include the following;
- In the 21st century, advanced research projects take a lot of money. There’s no doubt that being an experimenter is not as easy as we think. But currently, Federal government in the United States is providing enough financial aid to support science-based research. So consulting the federal government’s research aid department in your area is a possible way for overcoming the financial issue.
- Maintaining constant in-vivo, or in-vitro conditions during an experiment is next to impossible. But we can struggle to do so as much as we can. Yet for this, good observation, or problem-solving skills are necessary. For in-vivo studies, we can make an effort to make the animals stress-free. A stress-free environment is the best approach to solve the conditional issues in experiments, including animal modelling. But for in vivo studies, the best approach is controlling the external factors like temperature, light, or humidity.
- Experimental approach takes time to make a suitable design, arrange chemicals, and gather experimental apparatus. Good time management skills on the other hand with proactive nature of the experimenter can minimise the time issues. But it cannot eradicate them.
Hence, these were a few general, or most frequently faced issues regarding Scientific methods in research (survey and experiment). Other Scientific methods in research like the case study and observation have their own issues or ways that need to be catered.
