Scribd
Upload
61 views17 pages

Topic 6: Experimental Design

This document discusses key concepts in experimental design including controlling variables, manipulating the independent variable, treatment and control groups, and addressing nuisance variables. It defines internal validity as confidence in the cause and effect relationship between variables. Internal validity is higher in lab experiments while external validity refers to generalizing results to other groups and situations. Factors like history, maturation, instrumentation, and mortality can threaten internal validity, while differences in settings and culture impact external validity. Experimental research aims to control all factors to determine the effect of manipulating the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Uploaded by

Scorpian Mounieh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
61 views17 pages

Topic 6: Experimental Design

This document discusses key concepts in experimental design including controlling variables, manipulating the independent variable, treatment and control groups, and addressing nuisance variables. It defines internal validity as confidence in the cause and effect relationship between variables. Internal validity is higher in lab experiments while external validity refers to generalizing results to other groups and situations. Factors like history, maturation, instrumentation, and mortality can threaten internal validity, while differences in settings and culture impact external validity. Experimental research aims to control all factors to determine the effect of manipulating the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Uploaded by

Scorpian Mounieh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Topic 6

Experimental Design

Control of Variable
We can postulate cause and effect relationships between two variables X and Y, it is a possible that some other factor, say A, might also influence the dependent variable. In such a case, it will not be possible to determine the extent to which Y occurred only because of X, since we do not know how much of the total variation of Y was caused by the presence of other factor A

Manipulation of the Independent variable


Manipulation means that we create different levels of independent variables to access the impact on dependent variable.

Treatment
For Example: We want to check the effects of lighting on worker production levels.

Control groups Treatment effects

Nuisance Variables
Nuisance or Extraneous Variables In addition to independent variables, all experiments include one or more nuisance variables, which are undesired sources or variation in an experiment that may affect the dependent variable and can bias the results.

Controlling Nuisance

Distributing sample across several groups on the basis of Gender Age Experience

Internal Validity
Refers to the confidence we place in the cause and effect relationship. In other words, it addresses the question, To what extent does the research design permits us to say that the independent variable A causes a change in the dependent variable B. Internal Validity is the best available approximation to the truth of a given proposition or conclusion.

Internal Validity
High in lab experiments Low in field studies

External Validity
External Validity A research study or experiment has external validity if the results obtained would apply to other similar programs or approaches. The degree to which the results of a research study or experiment can be generalized to other groups, settings or situations.

Factors Effecting Internal Validity


History Specific events, in addition to the treatment, that occur between the first and second measurement. The longer the interval between the pretest and posttest, the more viable this threat.

Factors Effecting Internal Validity


Maturation Changes in physical, intellectual, or emotional characteristics, that occur naturally over time, that influence the results of a research study. In longitudinal studies, for instance, individuals grow older, become more sophisticated, maybe more set in there ways.

Factors Effecting Internal Validity


Instrumentation Changes in the way a test or other measuring instrument is calibrated that could account for results of a research study (different forms of a test can have different levels of difficulty). This threat typically arises from unreliability in the measuring instrument.

Factors Effecting Internal Validity


Research Mortality The differential loss of individuals from treatment and/or comparison groups. This is often a problem when research participants are volunteers. Volunteers may drop our of the study if they find it is consuming too much of their time. Others may drop out if they find the task to be too difficult.

Factors Effecting Internal Validity


History Effects Maturation Effects Instrumentation Effects Selection Bias

Factors Effecting External Validity


One study setting V other study setting Cultural differences

Experimental Research
An attempt by the researcher to maintain control over all factors that may affect the result of an experiment. In doing this, the researcher attempts to determine or predict what may occur.

Essentials of Experimental Research


An attempt is made to hold all other variables except the dependent variable. Effect is observed of the manipulation of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy