What methods should researchers employ to mitigate the risk of bias in their studies?

Using randomization, blinding, and pre-registration is essential in mitigating the risk of bias in research studies. Randomization helps ensure that participants are assigned to different groups in a way that is not influenced by the researchers. This process minimizes selection bias and helps to ensure that any differences observed between groups can be attributed to the treatment being studied rather than pre-existing differences among participants.

Blinding, where either the participants, the researchers, or both are unaware of the group assignments, further helps to eliminate bias in how results are collected, analyzed, and interpreted. By preventing researchers from knowing which group a participant is in, they are less likely to unintentionally influence measurements or outcomes based on their expectations about the treatment's effects.

Pre-registration of studies involves publicly documenting the research plan before data collection begins. This practice increases transparency and accountability, as it allows for scrutiny of whether the conduct of the study aligns with the original research proposal. Pre-registration helps to prevent issues like p-hacking, where researchers might manipulate data analysis to achieve desired outcomes.

In contrast, simply conducting more interviews or increasing sample sizes may not address the underlying biases in the study's design or execution. While a larger sample can enhance the power of a study, it does not inherently control for