Final answer:
The question involves evaluating techniques in research, potentially within a social science context. It discusses alternative comparison methodologies rather than common practices like comparing complexity or popularity, hinting at prospective or retrospective study comparisons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to be concerned with how different techniques or methodologies are compared or evaluated in a given field, potentially hinting at a study of research methods or assessment strategies within the social sciences. The options provided suggest various forms of comparison such as in isolation or relative to other techniques, as well as considering factors like complexity and popularity.
Based on the information provided and the context of research methodology comparisons, choice C) 'retrospective; prospective' and choice D) 'prospective; retrospective' appear to be terms that could be describing types of studies or analyses. A retrospective study looks back at data collected from past events, while a prospective study is designed to collect data moving forward.
Within the given context, if a researcher is focusing on the evaluation of techniques not paired against each other and considering criteria defined by the author, the comparison would likely not follow the common criteria like complexity or popularity (options A and D), but rather an alternative approach that might be more aligned with either retrospective or prospective comparisons as per options C and D.