Editorial lens selected for Indian Hills, St. Albans
Testimony can document that a person had an experience and reveal its personal consequences. Controlled research can estimate patterns, compare groups, and test limited hypotheses. Neither form should be presented as though it performs the other function.
When the two are placed together, keep their labels visible. A moving account can motivate a research question, while research can supply context, but the emotional strength of the story does not increase the study quality.