Why are some studies done with small sample sizes that ultimately make the results unreliable?

Question

Why are some studies done with small sample sizes that ultimately make the results unreliable?

In: Other

Answer 1

Studies are expensive, and the bigger they are the more expensive they are and the longer they take. Really good data 2 years later isn’t as useful as pretty good data in two weeks.

So, you do the quick study and based on that you decide to look in a different direction or spend more on a bigger study. When some pop-sci reporter reads your small study and splashes it on a headline, it’s really not the scientist’s fault.