Which term describes research based on observed and measured evidence rather than theory?

• A. Internal Validity
• B. Gold Standard
• C. Empirical Research
• D. Research Question

Answer: (C)

Empirical research is research based on observed and measured evidence, not on theory alone. It relies on data gathered from the real world through experiments, observations, surveys, or measurements, and conclusions are drawn from that data rather than purely from theoretical reasoning. This distinguishes it from work that starts with a theory and develops or tests it without collecting new data.

Other terms don’t fit as well because internal validity concerns how confidently causal conclusions are drawn within a study, not the overall approach of using evidence; the gold standard refers to the best available method or benchmark, not the method of gathering evidence; and a research question is the guiding inquiry, which can drive empirical work but isn’t itself the data-driven approach.