A comparative investigation is the collection of data on different objects/features/organisms, or collection of data under different conditions, for example, the time of year, temperature, and locations to make a comparison. In a comparative investigation, a scientist looks for patterns through comparison of similarities and differences over time and under various conditions. Comparative investigations have a research question, possible hypothesis, procedures, and a conclusion.
Benefits
-Practical uses - Quick, cheap and easily accessible
-Scientists Use comparative investigations to establish correlations between variables. , for example, used this method to create a link between the level of social interrogation and rates of suicide.
Limitation
-Difficulty is experienced when operationalizing variables
-The method also relies on the use of official statistics which interpretivists argue that they are socially constructed for example Durkheim’s study on official stats on suicide being accurate.
