A scientist has noted a possible relationship between a certain chemical substance found in fish and the occurrence of kidney failure in humans. Which of the following preliminary steps should the scientist take before conducting a controlled experiment?
A. Establish a cause and effect relationship between the substance and the outcome.
B. Review the literature to determine what other research is available on this topic.
C. Write a research grant proposal to the appropriate federal funding agency.
D. Distribute letters of consent to human subjects who will be used in the research.
Review the literature to determine what other research is available on this topic.
Before conducting a controlled experiment, the scientist should take the following preliminary step:
B. Review the literature to determine what other research is available on this topic.
Explanation:
Reviewing the literature is an essential step to gather existing knowledge and understand the current research on the relationship between the chemical substance found in fish and kidney failure in humans. By doing so, the scientist can gain insights into previous studies, identify gaps in the existing knowledge, understand the methodologies used, and learn from any potential limitations or challenges faced by other researchers. This will help in designing an appropriate study, formulating research questions, and developing a hypothesis for the controlled experiment.
Option A, establishing a cause and effect relationship, is premature at this stage as it requires experimental data and analysis. Option C, writing a research grant proposal, can come later once the background research is done and the experiment design is in place. Option D, distributing letters of consent to human subjects, is part of the research process but should be done after the study design is finalized and necessary ethics considerations have been addressed.