concern will likely be whether the elements and relationships abstracted
from a larger universe are fruitful in generating statements that have ex-
planatory and predictive power in the universe intended. On comparative
studies, while it is true that any study that is analytical is also compara-
tive, the term is more often used for Cross-institutional, cross-cultural
and cross-national work. For these, one may anticipate dilemmas in settling
the unit of analysis and the method of comparison as a minimum plus concern
with what instrumentation can be held constant if the work is really across
cultures. For normative research, one must anticipate that it may not be
modish in all cireles, yet recognize that, if explanations then can be veri-
fied and predictions established, it should be possible to posit norms and
subject them to legitimate research,

So much for the briefest sampling of a limited number of research
strategies in order to suggest the positive value of being well aware of
choices and what might later be part of executing and defending any decision
taken,

The negative aspect is that one may be led to choose an inappropriate
research strategy or discouraged in the pursuit of worthwhile research that
one is motivated to do because of a kind of upsmanship or prestige social
pecking order game that sometimes operates. The game is that which associates
some research strategies with a higher order of intellectual life and others
with a lesser order. The realities, of course, are that such judgments will
operate in all phases of life and that some disciplines, graduate schools,
journals and professional societies will accord greater esteem to the stra-
tegies that they want to be representative of their achievement. That the

effect of the foregoing can be enormously positive is not disputed.

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