Pilot Study

• Pilot Studies are a small-scale trial run of the actual investigation to 'road-test' the procedure and check the investigation runs smoothly.
• With self-report studies questions can be tried out in advance and removed if ambiguous or confusing.
• In observational studies, a pilot study provides a way of checking coding systems before the real investigation is undertaken.
• Pilot studies allow the researcher to identify any potential issues and modify the design or procedure, saving time and money in the long run.