A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “research methodology”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Scott examines a new genetic study on missing heritability that both hereditarians and nurturists claim vindicates their position, concluding that despite the study's advances, the fundamental debate over how heritable traits like IQ actually are remains unresolved.
A detailed review of a 1995 paper introducing the PDAPP mouse model for Alzheimer's disease, examining how its limitations were overlooked and shaped decades of potentially misguided Alzheimer's research.
Scott Alexander explores the difficulties in contextualizing statistics, providing numerous examples to show how the same data can be presented to seem significant or trivial.
Scott Alexander announces Stage 2 of the 2023 Prediction Contest, encouraging participants to use any resources to make accurate predictions.
Scott Alexander argues that selection bias, while a concern, is not a valid reason to automatically reject amateur online surveys, as professional studies also face similar limitations.
Scott Alexander examines the poor quality of research on homework effectiveness, finding only one well-designed study showing positive effects for high school algebra.
Scott Alexander critiques a study claiming cash payments to poor mothers increased infant brain function, highlighting statistical and methodological issues that undermine its positive conclusions.
Scott Alexander is finalizing preparations for a Reader Survey, asking participants to confirm their inclusion and make necessary adjustments before the Friday start date.
Scott Alexander examines two cases of multiple hypothesis testing problems in medical and social science research, highlighting the complexities in interpreting results.
Scott Alexander is requesting readers to participate in the 2020 Slate Star Codex Survey, which helps him gather data for research and community planning.
Scott Alexander partially retracts his previous post on animal value and neural number after a commenter's larger survey yielded different results.
Scott Alexander critically examines studies on preschool effects, finding mixed and inconsistent evidence for long-term benefits.
Scott Alexander investigates the complexities of using Google Trends for mental health research, proposing methods to improve accuracy and interpretation of search data.
Scott Alexander critically examines a major meta-analysis on antidepressant efficacy, noting potential biases and comparing its surprising drug rankings to his own previous analysis.
Scott Alexander is running an experiment to test the effectiveness of persuasive essays about AI risk, asking readers to participate by reading an essay and answering questions.
A links roundup examining various scientific studies, social developments, and historical findings, with a particular focus on recent research about confounding variables and replication issues in science.
Scott shares diverse links ranging from optical illusions and Bitcoin drama to educational research and medical controversies, with commentary on methodology and social implications.
Scott reviews evidence on whether college improves critical thinking, finding modest short-term gains but questioning their long-term persistence.
Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links spanning science, history, and current events, with commentary on research methodologies and unexpected findings.
Scott Alexander critiques psychological studies claiming large effects from simple interventions, suggesting their impressive results may be due to flawed research rather than genuinely effective treatments.
Scott Alexander examines a study comparing the effectiveness of drugs and therapy for psychiatric disorders, discussing the results and methodological limitations of the research.
Scott criticizes a study linking childhood bullying to negative adult outcomes, arguing that its method of controlling for confounders is inadequate and proposing alternative explanations for the correlation.
Scott Alexander critiques a study suggesting knowledge of ApoE4 gene status affects memory performance, arguing the results may be due to priming or stereotype threat rather than actual memory decline.
Scott Alexander reviews two papers exposing statistical manipulation techniques in psychology research and addiction treatment program evaluations.
Scott Alexander reviews a study using Implicit Association Tests to measure suicidal intent, expressing both excitement for the research direction and skepticism about its methodology and practical applications.