Dear all:

I wanted to also point out that I am perfectly in favor of advocacy.  I think most everyone on Lactnet qualifies as advocates.  We tirelessly advocate for breastfeeding.  In science, however, it is very very important to examine your own sources of bias.  This often means that you have to seek out the opinions of others so that you can detect potential flaws in your research --- and examine those alternative views.  This is true of both qualitative and quantitative research.  Research is actually designed to rule out the alternative explanation or explanations.  If you don't challenge yourself to examine those alternative explanations, you have not conducted solid research.  

There are some advocates who really can change hats well enough to also be good researchers.  And some advocates make the best researchers.  Just as those who have not vested interest in a topic may actually miss the fine details that are so important for a deeper richer understanding.  


Best regards, Susan E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC

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