Sure, people are certainly free to say "this happened to me", when the subject is aligned. However, the plural of anecdote is not data. Anecdotes may guide rese

Sure, people are certainly free to say "this happened to me", when the subject is aligned. However, the plural of anecdote is not data. Anecdotes may guide research into areas which may be fruitful - but they are never a substitute for proper research.