In research, is to better to look for positive or negative?

Question

Using the negative approach the earth is flat ( see Google- Flat earth)

Answer 1

In research, it is best to have a statement such as "the earth is flat." The research you look for first should support your statement. Since you will not find much in the way of credible support, you must then decide if you want to stick with your original thesis, or if you want to modify your thesis.

The real problem in research is the "credible" sources part. It is important to continually evaluate your sources for bias, errors, and authority.

Answer 2

I might be misunderstanding your question, but there is a mathematical difference in outcomes from making decisions by exclusion (negative) and selecting by affirmation.

It turns out, if there are three or more choices, you should always use analysis to exclude rather than select.

There are two reasons for this. One is that evidence shows that cognitive biases trigger people to select answers that match what they want the data to show.

The second reason is subtle. Imagine you have three cards, one of which has an ace of spades. Imagine that if you select the ace of spades you get $1 million but you cannot see the side with the faces.

You have one chance in three of being correct so it does not matter which one you choose. Imagine that through analysis, or just from someone looking at the other two cards, you can know which one of the other two cards does not have the ace of spades. There are now two cards.

Does it matter if you keep the card you originally chose or not?

Turns out it matters.

Your "hypothesis," is that the first card chosen is correct. There is a 33% chance you are correct and 66% chance you are wrong.

By excluding one of the other cards through analysis, you now know it is one of the two remaining cards.

You still only have a 33% chance of being correct and there is a 66% chance that it is one of the other two cards.

Since you clearly know one of the other two cards is false, there is a 66% chance the other one is correct and there is still only a 33% your original hypothesis is false.

Toyota uses this fact in its auto design, GM does not. Look who is winning.

See the Monty Hall Paradox and the Secretaries Problem for more examples.

Answer 3

What do you mean by positive or negative? The way you seem to be describing them is very subjective.

Maybe you mean should you look for evidence to support or negate your claim. Creationists and flat-Earth people come up with a claim and look for evidence to support it - and ignore all the evidence that negates it. That's not how science works. In science, you come up with an idea and then try to prove it wrong. If you can't, maybe you're on to something. If it's easy to prove wrong, you're not.

Answer 4

Look for the truth, it can be either. Depending on the circumstances.

Answer 5

research is useless if you put such limits on it