Understanding Scientific Research [2]: Experimental vs. Observational Studies

Not all scientific studies are created equal. There are several types of studies, and  the first distinction is between experimental and observational evidence.

Previously I posted about how to read a study and how a study is structured with different sections. Certain features in each section should be present and be clear. For example, in the discussion section results should be put into context of the overall or similar literature and weighed against it. 

Scientific evidence should be used to figure out what is more likely to be true, and not misused to defend what we want to be true, for whatever reason.

In this day and age, scientific beliefs and (provisional) conclusions must be based on solid evidence. But what constitutes solid evidence? This can be a tricky question because we have several kinds of evidence with different strengths and weaknesses. This alone makes it all more difficult to interpret.

We must be able to recognize what we are looking at and how to distinguish between different types of scientific evidence. Some studies have more weight than others.

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