Research, Statistics, and Psychology - Essay Example

This paper discusses the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology. McMillan & Schumacher (2009) state that research comprises of creative work expected on a systematic basis to upsurge the standard of knowhow, that contains the knowhow of man, society as well as philosophy, and the use of this standard of knowhow to come up with original applications. They (McMillan & Schumacher, 2009), add that it is mainly used to find or even check truths, reiterate the outcome of the preceding work, get a solution of a current problem, give support to proposals or even mature new philosophies.

The required standard in professional increase and the basis of hypothetical teaching under the events of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is known as scientific research. The real definition of it is what should be considered as methodically grounded has been so much in disagreement, mostly connecting to the Reading First official under NCLB. According to Bennett & Phillips (2010), primary statistics refers to the instant use of the gathered data in the procedure of making choice. Extensively used methods in primary data collection are survey, focus group or even interviews.

On the other hand, Bennett & Phillips (2010) mention secondary data as the regain of congregated data. Secondary and primary data are both essential in making decision even though they vary in many features. Since secondary data is the data gathered in the preceding period, it has little consequence on the present problem as primary data, being the latest gathered data, has importance on the present problem (Bennett & Phillips, 2010). Bennett & Phillips (2010) adds that secondary data may at times become the only practicable information basis for the purpose of making decision, for instance, secret record already collected from a bunch of people cannot be collected from the actual source hence the use of secondary sources.

Similarly, the only way to gather data needs primary sources. If there is no secondary data, data is not that sufficient therefore primary data has to be gathered (Bennett & Phillips, 2010). In some cases, because of modification as well as processing already done, secondary data lost its meaning. Bennett & Phillips (2010) say that there are some other limitations of secondary data. In contrast, primary data is custom made and is very much pertinent but by the time you are deciding on the data sources, the cost, practicability and time are some factors to be put in consideration.

However, it is recommended that secondary and primary data together can be valuable to the effective of making decision. As seen above, statistics is very important in carrying out research. It is mainly used by the researchers to shape, abridge and analyze data. Through the use of statistics in research, researchers as well as customers get well-versed because it allows them to evaluate the practicality and the trustworthiness to of information in which outcome in the ability to come up with suitable decisions.

Statistics is very important in research because it is the backbone of the research one is carrying out. The number tells an easy idea of how one conducted his research. Again, it provides a podium for research as to how to go about the