In an investigation of drug abuse, it was noted that there was a relationship between the ages at which an individual first started experimenting with drugs and the severity of the drug abuse problem

Replication is an important part of the scientific process. When a study is replicated and the same basic results are obtained again, scientific confidence that the results are accurate is increased.

Pretend you are a psychologist and have been asked to replicate a recent study. You do not have any information about these studies except the following brief descriptions. Following scientific method, the description provides the foundation for Step 1: Formulate a testable hypothesis.

Your essay should focus on Step 2: Design a study and collect data. This is a 3-5 page paper so I do not want you to design a complete study rather consider all five research methods and determine which would be the best method for you to use.

To determine the best you must rank all five methods from highest to lowest and explain why you ranked them the way you did.

Naturalistic Observation or Laboratory Observation
Case study
Survey
Correlational study, and
Experiment

Your essay should include:

1. Characteristics, advantages and disadvantages for each research method

2. Why it would be or why it would not be an appropriate research method to use in your research design.

3. Explain how this method could be used in a research design.

4. Explain why or why not a scientific conclusion might be possible/practical/reliable/ethical using this method

You do not need to produce a research design but you must provide clear detail on why each method would or would not be appropriate to use in a research design.

Submit in your answers in Canvas. Your essays are due by 11:59pm on Sunday.

Choose 1 topic, Rank the application of all 5 research methods and explain why you ranked them the way you did. Cite yours sources using any standard method. Example books,electronic or periodicals (journals,magazines and newspapers)