Experimental research epitomizes the positivist paradigm discussed in Chapter 1. The opening quote in this chapter may appear to be very negative; the reason it is here is to highlight that experimental research has its place in library and information science but I would rarely advocate the application of this method in a study that involved human subjects. This is not to say it has not been done, it has, but I would argue that there are too many unstable elements involved ever to be in a position to construct a true experiment involving human beings and all the complex internal and external variables they are subject to. Experiments are possible on systems with stable functions, variables that can be systematically controlled; the human condition does not fall into this category. 'Effects studies' have been carried out in many branches of social science, but inference made from these studies is usually tenuous at best.