I have a question about how research is done. I read an article about a study to show which treatment helps back pain the most. The patients were divided into two groups, but there were more people in one group compared to the other. Is this fair?
A small difference in the group sizes won’t affect the results. Researchers have a way to mathematically figure this out. Too many patients in one group compared to the other could make a difference. The total number of people in the study is also important. The larger the number, the more everyone in the population is represented. Many researchers begin with a small sample as the pilot project. Once the study has been finished, a second, larger study is often done. This confirms the results of the first study and offers a broader group to sample.
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