ABSTRACT
The professional researcher always faces the problem of having more alternative research possibilities than he can carry out with the time at his disposal. The inputs to a study are of two sorts: first, the time and energy required of the researcher and, second, the money costs to the funding foundation or commercial employer or nonprofit client. A responsible researcher should calculate the cost of the inputs required by a given study from her own point of view and from the point of view of the organization that is the source of funds. A responsible researcher tries to develop research methods that require a minimum of money. If all’s right with the world, the long-run professional benefits will be in proportion to the intrinsic importance of the research, as measured by the influence of the research on a body of thought or on the magnitude of decisions affected by the study.
