S./China trade relations. Once correlations between the independent variables and the dependent variable have been established -- that is, once it has been determined which factors examined, if any, influence the signing or rejection of a specific trade agreement, and the amount of influence that each factor appears to have -- there will still be several potential interpretations of the data. That is, even with statistically significant correlations found between independent variables and the dependent variable, neither causation nor the exact mechanism of any potential causation will be known. It is assumed that the external environment will have a great deal to due with what specifics must appear in the trade agreements before they are signed, but even if the evidence supports this theory it would be possible that an unidentified factor...

Controlling for all factors is impossible, however so the research will have to proceed with all possible controls yet some degree of subjective interpretation.
Measuring the variables involved in this research will require an adept ability at interpreting macroeconomic features of the global economy, and a detailed awareness of the WTO's actions and their effects. An understanding of international trade and the rise in free trade agreements will also be necessary. This leads to some problematic issues with the research, including the quantification of certain trends for enhanced statistical capabilities. Established methods for quantifying such data are in existence, however, and this research will be firmly rooted in existing literature.