Plural analysis: Multiple approaches to quantitative research

The dominant approach to decision analysis in particular, and quantitative research in general, issingular, i.e., all conclusions are based on a single preferred model or approach. Inplural analysis, several singular analyses are pursued in parallel, the typically conflicting results are merged. Although it is a central feature of intelligent everyday thinking, plural analysis has largely been ignored by the research community. This paper reports on an ongoing, multidisciplinary, research program, supported by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research, to establish guidelines, grounded in defensible theory, for designing a plural analysis strategy (where appropriate) and integrating the results of analysis.