After completing a naturalistic observation study, a researcher does not quite have enough evidence to support her hypothesis. If she decides to go back to her records and slightly alter a few of the observations to fit her hypothesis, she is engaged in _____.
A) scientific forgery
B) scientific misconduct
C) correcting the data
D) ethical behavior

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The researcher is engaging in scientific misconduct by altering the observations to fit her hypothesis. This behavior is unethical and can undermine the validity and reliability of the study's results. Scientific forgery would involve intentionally fabricating data instead of altering existing data. Correcting the data would involve making legitimate changes based on errors or mistakes that were made during the observation process. Ethical behavior would involve conducting the study with integrity and reporting the findings accurately, even if they do not support the hypothesis.

After Completing a Naturalistic Observation Study, a Researcher Does Not