research and the quality of evidence

[ralphmcpherson]

This is what random sampling is for. If the population relevant to a hypothesis is very large but can be randomly sampled (and the resulting subpopulation is of the correct size required for the statistical methods that need to be used to test the hypothesis), then the hypothesis can be tested with a much smaller number of participants. That is much more possible, manageable, and affordable than including each member of an entire population!

Cynthia

In several areas of tkd there may be no "right" answer. Two experienced tkdists may give very different answers, but both may be correct. I learn most things from talking to experienced tkdists, but in certain other areas that may not be the case. At one point I was very interested in the "stretching and sports science " side of tkd and I spoke to a lot of high ranking tkdists in search of answers. In the end the most accurate information I got was from a 5th gup student who has degrees in sports medicine, pysiotherapy etc. I aslo received the best advice on sparring from a guy who was 1st gup, but had years of fighting and sparring experience behind him in many other arts and had fought professionally. My instructor who has over 150 students and has run his class full time for over 30 years comes to me for business advice for running his schools because of my many years of business experience, and Im only a first dan. Listen to experienced people but dont completely discount the information you receive from less experienced practitioners.

 

[lifespantkd]

In several areas of tkd there may be no "right" answer. Two experienced tkdists may give very different answers, but both may be correct. I learn most things from talking to experienced tkdists, but in certain other areas that may not be the case. At one point I was very interested in the "stretching and sports science " side of tkd and I spoke to a lot of high ranking tkdists in search of answers. In the end the most accurate information I got was from a 5th gup student who has degrees in sports medicine, pysiotherapy etc. I aslo received the best advice on sparring from a guy who was 1st gup, but had years of fighting and sparring experience behind him in many other arts and had fought professionally. My instructor who has over 150 students and has run his class full time for over 30 years comes to me for business advice for running his schools because of my many years of business experience, and Im only a first dan. Listen to experienced people but dont completely discount the information you receive from less experienced practitioners.

There are certainly issues that can have more than one "right answer." Often because things are so complex that there's an "it depends" involved. Well designed quantitative as well as qualitative research can yield such patterns.

Cynthia

 

[lifespantkd]

What about the search for facts? For example, the date the KTA or WTF were founded. Where would that type of inquiry fall? Those aren't opinions.

When proof of a fact exists (e.g., documentation, archeological evidence) about which no interpretation is needed, then experimentation is not needed--just a search to find that evidence. That can be where something like investigative journalism comes in--or archeology or research by historians or .... Those are still types of research; they're just not experimentation. If there is no proof of a purported fact or there is debate about a purported fact for some reason, one could still engage in research to discover patterns related to what is believed by whom and why.

Cynthia