This book investigates the fundamental methodological differences between laboratory-based measurement and measurement conducted within field sciences and economics. Marcel Boumans, an expert in the philosophy of economics and measurement, examines how researchers must adapt their practices when they cannot control the environment or the measurand. He argues that in field settings, the control of the representing model becomes the primary mechanism for validity, necessitating the integration of expert judgment to manage unscientific or noisy observations.

Experts in the philosophy of science and economics recognize this text as a significant contribution to the understanding of measurement theory outside controlled settings. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for researchers grappling with the complexities of empirical work in the social sciences.