a discussion reply to: To be useful, educational research must be considered valid. Valid research results in conclusions that can be trusted because testing processes measure what is expected to be measured (Check & Schutt, 2011; pbleblanc, 2009). When a study is not valid, results cannot be applied reasonably to similar situations or are unable to be replicated. To prevent a study from being invalidated, research design must be carefully considered and reevaluated frequently and in an unbiased manner (Check & Schutt, 2011).

Ethical research methods ensure that human rights are protected. Check and Schutt (2011) identify five guidelines to employ when conducting research involving human participation; these guidelines set out to protect participants by preventing harm, obtaining informed consent, and providing anonymity if intended. Studies should not inflict harm on those agreeing to be involved and potential risks are to be disclosed prior to the start of the study ("Getting Informed Consent," 2016). The American Educational Research Association (AERA) has provided guidelines that specify protections for human participation in research studies including confidentiality for those volunteering to participate (Check & Schutt, 2011).

An example of an invalid and unethical study is the Stanford Prison Experiment. In 1973, Zimbardo, a researcher from Stanford University set out to study the brutality inherent to American prisons. He enlisted 24 males to participate in the role of either prisoner or guard. With the assistance of fellow colleagues, a cell was constructed on the Stanford campus, and the study was initiated. Mental and physical consequences were imposed on those acting as prisoners, and a study intended to last two weeks was cut short to six days after a fellow Ph.D. objected to the abuse.

The study was found to have low population and ecological validity. Since the participants were only male and were pretending to be either a prisoner or prison guard, it was determined that the results were not representative of all prisons and results of the study could not be transferred to real life expectations of behavior (Mcleod, 2022). Therefore, the study did not adequately measure what it intended to measure.

Additionally, participants were subjected to physical and verbal abuse during the study and were picked up at their homes and transported as prisoners. Therefore, they were not afforded anonymity as their identities were not protected. These actions are direct violations of ethical standards set forth by AERA.