PILOT STUDIES

• What are pilot studies?

  Small trial versions of proposed studies to test their effectiveness and

  make improvements. They help identify potential issues early, which can be rectified before committing to the length and expense of a full investigation.
• Any part of the study could be tested, for example the validity of measure (e.g. does the questionnaire measure what it is supposed to?) or whether a procedure is effective (e.g. does it take too long, are the instructions too complicated for participants to understand, or have any vital steps been left out).
• The pilot study is an important part of the experimental process and is good practice which is widely used.