The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Descriptive Research Methods In Medicine And Psychology

Research Methods

Research is a pathway which leads to more progression in our world, especially in the fields of medicine and psychology. Despite the need for progression, and the benefits it produces, research can be complex and in some cases damaging. Not every research method is beneficial in every form of study. This is why it is essential to carefully evaluate the gains and costs of each research method, including descriptive research and experimental research. In my essay I will be clarifying their definitions and exploring their strengths and challenges in greater detail.

Descriptive research offers a precise representation of characteristics of a specific person, situation or group. Descriptive research explains what exists, establishes

In both experiments, the experimenter influences the independent variable, and the dependent variable is used to determine the results. These experiments are used for discovering cause and effect relationships, and the experimenter usually has decent control over the conditions of the experiment (Craig & Dunn, 2013). The disadvantage of these experiments is that it can be difficult to control the independent variable of interest. When ethics are considered, this can be a disadvantage because it can restrict which research questions can be studied. It can also be costly because in order to determine the accuracy of a studies result, it needs to be replicated (Craig & Dunn, 2013). Typically experiments focusing on groups use the method of random assignment which assigns each participant arbitrarily, in order that the groups do not vary in significant ways. The quasi-experimental method can be more beneficial than typical group experiments, in circumstances where the independent variable cannot be randomly allocated (Craig & Dunn,