Credibility of Research

Research credibility is subjective.  By which I mean that dependant on the reader’s view of a given topic and any bias which may exist surrounding the evidence produced by a researcher, the context of the findings can be distorted in the mind and inform a personal view. 

The message contained within research can affect the perception of the reader, which can raise further questions in an inquisitive mind.

If strong evidence is used to support a theory then this can lend credibility to a report, but the situation remains that if the reader holds any bias in either direction this can influence the opinion of the reader.

Similarly if the writer holds a bias in a certain direction this can distort the facts given in the report, also the tone of the report could mislead the reader, not all the facts are discussed by the writer, which by omitting these facts can give weight to the authors opinion.

Research Credibility

Hi Guys,
I believe the credibility of research depends on the range and variance of the participants. When analysing a particular issue the more people you ask about it the more accurate the results will be. Also different backgrounds need to be taken into account as well. I am likely to act differently from anyone from a different cultured background.
It also depends on the background of the issue itself. If someone was researching how women react to a particular brand of makeup it wouldn't be very accurate if all the participants involved in the questionnaire were men.
My case study is an investigation into the social effects of online gambling, and the primary research undertaken includes a case study of betfair, an online betting exchange. And the research that was undertaken was a questionnaire delivered to customers of betfair. I don't believe the results from this research will be credible as betfair is a betting exchange and operates in a different way to other bet sites, therefore other gamblers and other online betting sites should have been included in the study to get a more accurate view of online gambling as a whole.
Regards
Mark