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A student researcher is preparing to write their final report, but they realize that their survey results completely contradict their initial hypothesis. To fix this, they consider generating a few fictional survey responses that support their expectations. In one to three sentences, apply the principle of scholarly integrity to explain why the student must not do this.
Question: A student researcher is preparing to write their final report, but they realize that their survey results completely contradict their initial hypothesis. To fix this, they consider generating a few fictional survey responses that support their expectations. In one to three sentences, apply the principle of scholarly integrity to explain why the student must not do this.
Sample answer: Generating fictional survey responses constitutes data fabrication, which is a severe violation of scholarly integrity. Because the goal of science is to understand the world as it actually is, the student has a duty to report their actual findings honestly and accurately. Therefore, they must never invent data, even if the results contradict their hypothesis.
Key points:
- Classify the generation of fictional survey responses as data fabrication.
- State that researchers have a duty to report findings honestly and accurately.
- Emphasize that findings must be reported honestly even if they contradict expectations.
Feedback: An acceptable answer must identify that generating fictional responses is data fabrication and state that the student must report their actual findings honestly to satisfy their duty of understanding the world as it actually is, regardless of hypothesis contradiction.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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A student researcher is preparing to write their final report, but they realize that their survey results completely contradict their initial hypothesis. To fix this, they consider generating a few fictional survey responses that support their expectations. In one to three sentences, apply the principle of scholarly integrity to explain why the student must not do this.