What Challenges Does A Researcher Face In Doing Existing Statistics
Statistics as a scientific discipline is currently facing the great challenge of finding its place in data science once more. At the beginning of the last century, the development of the discipline of statistics was initiated by data-related research questions. Nowadays, it is often viewed to have not kept up with the current developments in data science, which are largely focused on algorithmic, exploratory, and computational aspects and often driven by other disciplines, such... However, statistics can—and should—contribute to the advances of data science. Of most interest are the strengths of statistics, such as the mathematical focus that leads to theoretical guarantees. This includes methods for formal modeling, hypothesis tests, uncertainty quantification, and statistical inference.
Of particular interest are also established statistical frameworks to handle causality or data deficiencies such as dependence, missingness, biases, or confounding.This article summarizes the findings of a discussion workshop on the topic that was... The discussion centered around the following questions: How must statistics be set up so that it can contribute (more) to modern data science? In which direction should it develop further? Which strengths can already be used now? What conditions must be created so that this can succeed? What can be done to arrive at a common language?
What is the added value of formal modeling, inference, and the mathematical perspective taken in statistics? Keywords: generalization, identifiability, machine learning, overparametrization, reproducibility, uncertainty quantification Statistics has emerged from the need to derive scientific knowledge from data. It was crucially inspired by other fields searching for sound and meaningful approaches to analyze their data. In this tradition John W. Tukey (1915–2000) allegedly once told a colleague “The best thing about being a statistician, is that you get to play in everyone’s backyard” (Brillinger, 2014).
The discipline of statistics as we know it today developed from the beginning of the 20th century driven by figures like F. Nightingale, Sir R.A. Fisher, K. Pearson, and later G. Cox, J. Tukey, and G.
Box, first in the United Kingdom and later in the United States. This brought forth strong statistics departments in the United Kingdom and the United States. In other countries, however, the development has been different: For example, in Germany, the majority of statisticians have a mathematical background, and statistics departments only exist in two places, Dortmund and Munich. All other academic statisticians are either affiliated with mathematics or other quantitative fields such as economics or medicine. At the beginning of the 21st century, with the dawn of the information age, a new generation of computer scientists has stretched the boundaries of data analysis, especially through the development of new computational... These efforts catered to the increasing automation of data collection, which led to large and complex data and, therefore, sidelined classical statistical approaches that were tailored to more structured and strategic data collection.
These developments have generated two largely separated fields of data-related sciences. While the two fields started to merge in some parts of the world through joint research institutions (such as the Alan Turing Institute in London) or even departments (such as the Halıcıoğlu Data Science... Whether you are a current student or a doctoral graduate, conducting research is an integral part of being a scholar-practitioner with the skills and credibility to effect social change. Fortunately, many of the research challenges you will face—from choosing a topic, to finding study participants, to staying sane throughout the process, and every step in between—have already been addressed by members of the... Here, they share their insights on how to overcome seven top research challenges. Your research topic is the foundation on which everything else rests, so it’s crucial to choose carefully.
“You can’t do anything else until you figure out the basic focus of your topic,” says Dr. Susann V. Getsch ’08, who earned her PhD in Psychology from Walden. The topic of her dissertation, Educating Students With Pervasive Developmental Disorders: An Exploration of Government Mandates and Teachers’ Perspectives, was close to her heart—Getsch has a child on the autism spectrum. After first attempting to “take on the entire world” with her research, Getsch chose to focus on how special education teachers select the protocols for classrooms with students with autism in the context of... She shares her recommendations for choosing an effective research topic.
Once you’ve chosen a topic, you’ll need a methodology—a procedure for conducting your research—in order to move forward. Dr. Linda Crawford, a faculty member in Walden’s PhD program, has received the Bernard L. Turner award two times for chairing outstanding dissertation recipients. She offers several techniques for getting on the right path when it comes to choosing the appropriate methodology for your study. “The best way to choose it is not to choose.”In other words, Crawford says, “the methodology that’s used comes from the research question, not from your personal preferences for one design or another.” She...
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs. Being a researcher is a rewarding career for many reasons: You get to explore new ideas, work with cutting-edge technology, learn about the world, and have important discussions with like-minded individuals.
But, research doesn’t come without its challenges. Luckily, challenges get easier to overcome when you don’t feel alone in facing them. So, we’ve put together a list of the top 8 challenges that researchers face and some tips to help. Starting a new research project and narrowing your focus to a single topic is one of the first challenges you’ll learn to face as an early-career researcher. And, it’s also one of the most important ones. Your topic for each new research project is the foundation on which all your other work rests, so it’s vital that you take your time in tackling this challenge.
A well-thought-out topic can also help you avoid some of the challenges that we’ll discuss later in this article. If only being a researcher was as easy as sitting in a comfy armchair and reading books all day long with a nice cup of coffee! We no longer have the hermit scientist who potters about with test tubes in his cottage among the mountains. Being a researcher today requires you to actively network, stay connected, build your communication and presentation skills, and balance competing demands, all while generating high-quality and high-impact data. This article discusses some common challenges of research today. After years of collecting data, you find that your results are inconclusive or that you’ve got a huge problem of gaps in the data.
With poor-quality data, it’s going to be very difficult to get your research published, especially in a reputed journal. You can avoid this pitfall by paying attention to study design, ensuring you have adequate sample size, that you have considered potential covariates, and that you’ve accounted for loss to follow up and missing... There’s a vast number of research papers published every year, not to speak of preprints, conference proceedings, patents, etc. Keeping up with all these is a full-time job in itself. This means that you’ve to be smart and strategic in order to stay abreast of the latest developments in your field while saving on time and effort. Prioritize literature reviews and meta-analyses to get a holistic understanding of a topic.
Listen to audio versions of papers while at the gym or driving. Use an app like R Discovery to get smart summaries of papers and daily reading recommendations via a personalized, social-media style feed. Getting your research funded is hard, especially for younger researchers. Applying for a research grant is by itself a daunting and time-consuming task. Once funding arrives, it’s also difficult to ensure you’ve enough for every aspect of the research process, right up to manuscript publication. Some tips that might help are
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume 12, Article number: 187 (2025) Cite this article The aim of this study is to identify the challenges faced by postgraduate students in their research endeavors and to develop a standardized research process model. To achieve this objective, web-based surveys were distributed to 91 postgraduate students, and a case study was conducted to evaluate the application of research methodologies at Addis Ababa University. The findings revealed several challenges, including difficulties in selecting a research topic, choosing appropriate methodologies, addressing biases, conducting reliability and validity analyses, and managing time constraints. Additionally, the study has developed a comprehensive research design framework to address these challenges, offering a standardized and holistic approach that is suitable for researchers across diverse disciplines. The research methodology process is crucial for researchers aiming to conduct high-quality research.
It serves as a measurement instrument, demonstrating the quality and evidence of the research conducted. Many postgraduate students encounter challenges when navigating various research procedures (Daniel, 2022). Daniel’s findings illustrate the difficulties faced by postgraduate students in distinguishing between qualitative research and qualitative data, encompassing aspects such as research design, data collection, data sources, sampling methods, and data analysis techniques. Researchers often struggle with numerous challenges related to writing research papers. The most prevalent issues in the research methodology development process have been observed among students pursuing Master of Science or Master of Management degrees (Johnson & Christensen, 2017; Creswell & Creswell, 2017; Remenyi et... Postgraduate students frequently face obstacles in preparing MSc, MBA, and PhD thesis write-ups, often feeling confused about formulating their research methodologies (Saunders et al., 2019).
A study conducted in China regarding the challenges faced by African students’ highlighted difficulties in conducting and presenting their work (Zaida & Quade, 2021). Furthermore, research by Rajamohanan et al. (2015) indicated that faculty involvement in postgraduate research is often insufficient, leading many students to take their thesis work less seriously. The research methodology and design process present significant challenges for researchers embarking on their projects (Marco, 2010). These challenges are not confined to students within a specific country; they also affect individuals studying abroad. African students pursuing postgraduate studies in foreign countries often face difficulties related to presentation skills and the preparation of research work (Afolabi & Ogunyemi, 2018; Mkhize, 2019).
Such challenges can stem from disparities in academic cultures, language barriers, and unfamiliarity with the host country’s research methodologies and expectations. It is essential for these students to seek support and guidance to overcome these obstacles and enhance their research skills.
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Statistics As A Scientific Discipline Is Currently Facing The Great
Statistics as a scientific discipline is currently facing the great challenge of finding its place in data science once more. At the beginning of the last century, the development of the discipline of statistics was initiated by data-related research questions. Nowadays, it is often viewed to have not kept up with the current developments in data science, which are largely focused on algorithmic, ...
Of Particular Interest Are Also Established Statistical Frameworks To Handle
Of particular interest are also established statistical frameworks to handle causality or data deficiencies such as dependence, missingness, biases, or confounding.This article summarizes the findings of a discussion workshop on the topic that was... The discussion centered around the following questions: How must statistics be set up so that it can contribute (more) to modern data science? In whi...
What Is The Added Value Of Formal Modeling, Inference, And
What is the added value of formal modeling, inference, and the mathematical perspective taken in statistics? Keywords: generalization, identifiability, machine learning, overparametrization, reproducibility, uncertainty quantification Statistics has emerged from the need to derive scientific knowledge from data. It was crucially inspired by other fields searching for sound and meaningful approache...
The Discipline Of Statistics As We Know It Today Developed
The discipline of statistics as we know it today developed from the beginning of the 20th century driven by figures like F. Nightingale, Sir R.A. Fisher, K. Pearson, and later G. Cox, J. Tukey, and G.
Box, First In The United Kingdom And Later In The
Box, first in the United Kingdom and later in the United States. This brought forth strong statistics departments in the United Kingdom and the United States. In other countries, however, the development has been different: For example, in Germany, the majority of statisticians have a mathematical background, and statistics departments only exist in two places, Dortmund and Munich. All other acade...