Question

A researcher has developed an algorithm for analyzing documents. To test the performance he runs the algorithm on documents with lengths of 10 pages, 20 pages, and 30 pages. The run times were 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, and 0.4 seconds. Would the algorithm be reasonable for analyzing a 300 page document? Explain.

Answer 1

There are at least two reasons to articulate assumptions underlying a research problem. First, these assumptions will guide the selection of research questions and/or the formation of hypotheses, as well as the interpretation of the data. Clearly stating the assumptions assists the reader in evaluating the merits of the study and the conclusions drawn from it. Second, to the extent that the researcher is aware of his/her assumptions, these can be incorporated into the study design as needed to promote the validity of the conclusions drawn from the study.

Explanation: