ABSTRACT
Discussions at the conference “Older Women: Research Issues and Data Sources,” although focusing on health and economic issues, returned frequently to the many ways in which features of a study’s methodology can contaminate the substantive conclusions. Methodological features thought to be important include the nature of the assumptions underlying the research, the design of the study, the design of the sample, the measurement instruments, and the data analysis. These features will be briefly described in this chapter and their potential impact on conclusions will be suggested.
