How to avoid common mistakes in experimental research?
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 28 December 2020
Issue publication date: 22 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss some common pitfalls in experimental research in the field of hospitality and tourism. It aims to offer recommendations on how to avoid such problems to enhance theory development.
Findings
This paper highlights some common pitfalls in hospitality research regarding manipulations, samples and data analyses. The challenges imposed by the global pandemic are also discussed.
Research limitations/implications
Researchers in hospitality are recommended to refine their experimental designs, to recruit appropriate and sufficient samples and to avoid the abuse of “researcher degrees of freedom” in data analysis.
Originality/value
This is the first study to review common mistakes in experimental research in hospitality research and to recommend some remedies. The findings of this study can contribute to stronger theory development.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was financially supported by the Marriott Foundation.
The last three authors are listed by alphabetical order of the surname and they contribute equally.
Citation
Mattila, A.S., Luo, A., Xue, X. and Ye, T. (2021), "How to avoid common mistakes in experimental research?", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 367-374. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-07-2020-0696
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited