Let's talk about untrained people conducting research. Are they aware of the risks and potential for error? Do they understand the importance of research in making decisions? Feel confident in their findings?

Imagine someone who perhaps enjoys casual BBQing is suddenly asked to cater a wedding. Think about the scale - a few dozen, hundreds, or thousands of people will be impacted, like wedding guests, based on the outcomes.

A lack of research expertise will result in flawed data, just like how sh*tty food can spoil a wedding!

Consider these analogies that illustrate the pitfalls of poor research:

• Asking the wrong research questions or recruiting the wrong participants is like having a wedding DJ who only plays heavy metal for a crowd that loves classic jazz.

• Misinterpreting data due to lack of expertise is like misreading a wedding invitation and showing up at the wrong location. You miss the event entirely, just as misinterpretation can lead you to miss the mark on what the data actually indicates.

• Relying on biased data without realizing it is like planning an outdoor wedding, in the rainy season, without a backup plan. The oversight due to lack of preparation can ruin the entire event, just as biased data will compromise research outcomes.

There's a stark difference between dabbling in an activity and mastering it. This situation underscores the importance of professionally collected and analyzing data for informed decision-making WITH CONFIDENCE.

Call to Action:

If you're in a position where you're asked to conduct research without formal training, PLEASE acknowledge the risks and challenges! Consider using hashtags like #ButIAmNotAResearcher and #NotTrainedInResearch when sharing your findings.

This not only clarifies your level of research experience but also helps educate others about the risks when conducting research as a non-expert. We know it’s likely not your fault researchers were laid off and you probably do not want to be doing this research anyway. Everyone is losing!

But what we can do, TOGETHER, is be transparent, educate, and encourage people in these situations to call out the fact that there are HUGE risks involved.

And/or just say “no” or “I am not qualified” to take on these research requests. Researchers would not take on most aspects of your role.