Economist Ronald H. Coase coined the phrase "If you torture data long enough, it will confess to anything" to refer to the practice of manipulating research to drive erroneous, incorrect, or unethical conclusions.

When drafting your response, consider the following questions:

What are the ways that researchers may manipulate data to inaccurately represent relationships? What problems does this quote create for the practice of research methods? What are the principles of good research methods that have been learned in this course (i.e., the application of theory, research questions, and hypotheses), and what are the strategies researchers should apply to ensure that we are producing responsible research? What are the practical implications that arise when we fail to practice good research methods (i.e., what are the real world consequences of poor methodologies)?