Statistical considerations for monitoring and sampling In: Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters

A rigorous scientific process is essential to forming sound conclusions that can inform evidence-based decision-making. This process starts with defining a research question, assessing what level of information is needed and then critically assessing how that information should be obtained (see Table 2.1 and Hayes et al., submitted). Evidence can be obtained from a variety of sources, ranging from expert opinion, through ad-hoc data collection, then well-designed observational surveys, and finally to randomised controlled experiments. Well-designed experiments/surveys that are targeted to the research question, however, are also generally more expensive than expert opinion, which is a source of information that may be adequate in some certain situations (see Leek and Peng, 2015). Table 2.1 provides a brief overview of the hierarchy of research questions and the types of data that are appropriate to answer them.