What precautions should a researcher take while interpreting findings?
Dear Madasir,
the following points must be in mind while interpreting observations:
• One should always remember that even if the data are properly collected and analysed, wrong interpretation would lead to inaccurate conclusions. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that the task of interpretation be accomplished with patience in an impartial manner and also in correct perspective.
• The researcher must remember that “ideally in the course of a research study, there should be constant interaction between initial hypothesis, empirical observation and theoretical conceptions. It is exactly in this area of interaction between theoretical orientation and empirical observation that opportunities for originality and creativity lie." He must pay special attention to this aspect while engaged in the task of interpretation.
• At the outset, researcher must invariably satisfy himself that the data are appropriate, trustworthy and adequate for drawing inferences, the data reflect good homogeneity; and that proper analysis has been done through statistical method
Three general types of analysis errors are due to:
(i) bias in the data, (ii) errors in data processing, and (iii) wrong interpretation.
For further reading, you can check out Chapter 8 of my book:
"Commercial Data Mining, Processing, Analysis and Modeling for Predictive Analytics Projects", Morgan-Kaufmann 2014. 1st Edition
http://store.elsevier.com/Commercial-Data-Mining/David-Nettleton/isbn-9780124166028/
and:
Cohen, Jason. Mar. 2010. “Avoiding Common Data-Interpretation Errors.”
A Smart Bear. Available at: http://blog.asmartbear.com/data-interpretation-mistakes.html.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Methodology
- Research Methodology