Final answer:
To collect data on the respective questions, observational studies are best for the smoker car accident question, surveys are suited for determining favorite sports and voter issues, experimental studies for gum chewing's effect on test performance and strawberry production, and archival research for analyzing the wealth distribution over centuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The selection of data collection methodology is dependent on the nature of the research question being asked. For each of the posed research questions, a specific type of study design will be more suitable:
- Observational study for investigating whether smokers get in more car accidents than non-smokers due to ethical constraints in manipulation.
- Survey to determine the favorite type of sport among students as it can collect a broad spectrum of opinions efficiently.
- Experimental study for testing whether chewing gum affects test performance as the variable (chewing gum) can be controlled and manipulated.
- Archival research to examine changes in wealth distribution over the past 300 years, utilizing existing historical and economic records.
- Experimental study to compare strawberry plant fruit production in different growing conditions, as it involves manipulating the environment.
- Survey to identify current important voter issues, since it can quickly gather subjective opinions from a large number of participants.
Observational studies are often used when experiments are impossible, impractical, or unethical. They tend to be cheaper, easier to conduct, and can reach a larger sample size. However, they do not establish cause-and-effect relationships, as opposed to experimental studies where researchers manipulate variables and control the environment. Surveys are beneficial for gathering information from large groups about subjective experiences or opinions but are subject to limitations such as self-report bias and the inability to infer causation.