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There are many different approaches to scientific research and no one scientific "method."
There are many different approaches to scientific research and no one scientific "method."
However, science does rely on empirical evidence, which is evidence that can be observed and documented.
However, science does rely on empirical evidence, which is evidence that can be observed and documented.
“Observed” doesn’t mean just seeing; this could mean collecting measurements of temperature, pH, density, concentration, frequency, behavior... and so much more!
Not all types of evidence are equal.
Not all types of evidence are equal.
Some types of evidence hold more weight than others.
Some types of evidence hold more weight than others.
Researchers in a field rank different types of studies based on their quality, and this results in a Hierarchy of Evidence.
This hierarchy may look a bit different in different fields of research, but in general, "systematic reviews" or "meta analyses" (which review a number of research studies in an area) are typically considered the strongest evidence, and are at the top of the pyramid (Sources: 1, 2).
Expert opinion / background information are typically located at the bottom of the pyramid (and are less convincing evidence).
The key idea here is that many high quality research papers / studies pointing to similar conclusions is much stronger evidence than a single paper / study.
To learn more about these different types of evidence, check out this post from Science Up First.
Heirarchy of Evidence Diagram.pngSources:
1) Ahn, E., & Kang, H. (2018). Introduction to systematic review and meta-analysis. Korean journal of anesthesiology, 71(2), 103–112. https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2018.71.2.103
2) Burns, P. B., Rohrich, R. J., & Chung, K. C. (2011). The levels of evidence and their role in evidence-based medicine. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 128(1), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0b013e318219c171
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