The Research Process
Imagine you are in a fast-food restaurant where a lady tells youthat she had heard there was a gene for liking or hating the tasteof cilantro. You looked on the Internet to investigate thisstatement, and although you found similar comments on reputablewebsites, you are yet to find any scientific studies supportingthis claim.
Should you be skeptical about the scientific merit of this claimafter browsing the Internet? Why?
Do you think there are times when scientifically-sound researchis not accepted for publication? Why?
What should you do to continue this investigation?
Using the South University Online Library, find twopeer-reviewed articles discussing genetics and food preference.Using the skills you learned from this week's lectures, summarizeeach of them.
What is a primary source for any research study? Why is itimportant to read the primary source?
Why do most students settle for reading secondhand or thirdhandaccounts of research studies instead of reading the primarysource?
When might you have to depend on a secondary source ofinformation? Are thirdhand accounts of research studies reliable?Why?
