FCS 3200. Exam 3 study guide Exam
Questions and Answers (Latest Update
2026) Verified Answers (100% Questions)
The greatest strength of laboratory experiments lies in the ability to examine numerous variables
simultaneously. - CORRECT ANSWERS False
The greatest strength is to have a controlled environment in which independent variables can be
manipulated and causal relationships can be more easily identified.
The only pre-experimental design to include a comparison group is the static-group comparison design. -
CORRECT ANSWERS True
Let us quickly go over Pre-Experimental Design. We sometimes carry out our research in our minds using
one of the three pre-expermental designs. Pre-experimental designs are so named because they follow
basic experimental steps but fail to include a TRUE control group. In other words, a single group is often
studied but no comparison between an equivalent non-treatment group is made. Examples include the
following: The One-Shot Case Study. In this arrangement, subjects are presented with some type of
treatment, such as a semester of college work experience, and then the outcome measure is applied,
such as college grades. Like all experimental designs, the goal is to determine if the treatment had any
effect on the outcome. Without a comparison group, it is impossible to determine if the outcome scores
are any higher than they would have been without the treatment. And, without any pre-test scores, it is
impossible to determine if any change within the group itself has taken place. One Group Pretest
Posttest Study. A benefit of this design over the previously discussed design is the inclusion of a pretest
to determine baseline scores. To use this design in our study of college performance, we could compare
college grades prior to gaining the work experience to the grades after completing a semester of work
experience. We can now at least state whether a change in the outcome or dependent variable has
taken place. What we cannot say is if this change would have occurred even without the application of
the treatment or independent variable. It is possible that mere maturation caused the change in grades
and not the work experience itself. Finally, the third option is the Static Group Comparison Study. This
design attempts to make up for the lack of a control group but falls short in relation to showing if a
change
,Experiments are especially well suited to research projects involving relatively limited and well-defined
concepts and propositions. - CORRECT ANSWERS True
It is important to have relatively limited and well-defined concepts before we carry out experiments.
One of the main purposes of experiments is to find causality or causation.
Topics appropriate to experiments include hypothesis testing, explanatory research, and small group
interaction. - CORRECT ANSWERS True
Often we are trying to find causal relations. Experiments are suitable for teasing out spurious
relationships.
The experimental and control groups must be as similar as possible. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
If the two groups are very different, the differences might be the causes for their different behaviors
and outcomes.
Experiments in social science almost always involve deception. We commonly put the experiment
subjects in unusual situations and ask them to undergo unusual experiences. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
The treatment group usually has to be exposed to some type of stimulus.
Because classical experimental design involves both pretest and posttest, it is superior to Solomon four-
group design with respect to reducing the influence of confounding variables. - CORRECT ANSWERS
False
The Solomon four group design is a way of avoiding some of the difficulties associated with the pretest-
posttest design or the classical experimental design. The Solomon four-group design contains two extra
, control groups, which serve to reduce the influence of confounding variables and allow the researcher
to test whether the pretest itself has an effect on the subjects. This is an important concern for social
scientists, because the experiment has a potent effect on the subjects. Whilst much more complex to set
up and analyze, this design type combats many of the internal validity issues that can plague research. It
allows the researcher to exert complete control over the variables and allows the researcher to check
that the pretest did not influence the results. The Solomon four group test is a standard pretest-posttest
two-group design and the posttest only control design. The various combinations of tested and untested
groups with treatment and control groups allows the researcher to ensure that confounding variables
and extraneous factors have not influenced the results.
Experiments are most suitable for descriptive research. - CORRECT ANSWERS False
They are most suitable for explanatory research, identifying causal relationships.
The problem of external validity refers to the generalizability of results. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
External validity is the validity of generalized (causal) inferences in scientific research. In other words, it
is the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people.
Qualitative study relying on the idiographic approach tends to have low external validity.
Instrumentation is NOT a threat to internal validity in the one-shot case study. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
Internal validity is a property of scientific studies which reflects the extent to which a causal conclusion
based on a study is warranted. Such warrant is constituted by the extent to which a study minimizes
systematic error (or 'bias'). Instrumentation refers changes in the measurement of the dependent
variable in pretest and posttest. One-shot case study DOES not have pretest or posttest. Therefore,
instrumentation is not an issue for one-shot case study. One-shot case study is one of the classical pre-
experimental designs.
The dependent variable is also known as the experimental stimulus. - CORRECT ANSWERS
False
Questions and Answers (Latest Update
2026) Verified Answers (100% Questions)
The greatest strength of laboratory experiments lies in the ability to examine numerous variables
simultaneously. - CORRECT ANSWERS False
The greatest strength is to have a controlled environment in which independent variables can be
manipulated and causal relationships can be more easily identified.
The only pre-experimental design to include a comparison group is the static-group comparison design. -
CORRECT ANSWERS True
Let us quickly go over Pre-Experimental Design. We sometimes carry out our research in our minds using
one of the three pre-expermental designs. Pre-experimental designs are so named because they follow
basic experimental steps but fail to include a TRUE control group. In other words, a single group is often
studied but no comparison between an equivalent non-treatment group is made. Examples include the
following: The One-Shot Case Study. In this arrangement, subjects are presented with some type of
treatment, such as a semester of college work experience, and then the outcome measure is applied,
such as college grades. Like all experimental designs, the goal is to determine if the treatment had any
effect on the outcome. Without a comparison group, it is impossible to determine if the outcome scores
are any higher than they would have been without the treatment. And, without any pre-test scores, it is
impossible to determine if any change within the group itself has taken place. One Group Pretest
Posttest Study. A benefit of this design over the previously discussed design is the inclusion of a pretest
to determine baseline scores. To use this design in our study of college performance, we could compare
college grades prior to gaining the work experience to the grades after completing a semester of work
experience. We can now at least state whether a change in the outcome or dependent variable has
taken place. What we cannot say is if this change would have occurred even without the application of
the treatment or independent variable. It is possible that mere maturation caused the change in grades
and not the work experience itself. Finally, the third option is the Static Group Comparison Study. This
design attempts to make up for the lack of a control group but falls short in relation to showing if a
change
,Experiments are especially well suited to research projects involving relatively limited and well-defined
concepts and propositions. - CORRECT ANSWERS True
It is important to have relatively limited and well-defined concepts before we carry out experiments.
One of the main purposes of experiments is to find causality or causation.
Topics appropriate to experiments include hypothesis testing, explanatory research, and small group
interaction. - CORRECT ANSWERS True
Often we are trying to find causal relations. Experiments are suitable for teasing out spurious
relationships.
The experimental and control groups must be as similar as possible. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
If the two groups are very different, the differences might be the causes for their different behaviors
and outcomes.
Experiments in social science almost always involve deception. We commonly put the experiment
subjects in unusual situations and ask them to undergo unusual experiences. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
The treatment group usually has to be exposed to some type of stimulus.
Because classical experimental design involves both pretest and posttest, it is superior to Solomon four-
group design with respect to reducing the influence of confounding variables. - CORRECT ANSWERS
False
The Solomon four group design is a way of avoiding some of the difficulties associated with the pretest-
posttest design or the classical experimental design. The Solomon four-group design contains two extra
, control groups, which serve to reduce the influence of confounding variables and allow the researcher
to test whether the pretest itself has an effect on the subjects. This is an important concern for social
scientists, because the experiment has a potent effect on the subjects. Whilst much more complex to set
up and analyze, this design type combats many of the internal validity issues that can plague research. It
allows the researcher to exert complete control over the variables and allows the researcher to check
that the pretest did not influence the results. The Solomon four group test is a standard pretest-posttest
two-group design and the posttest only control design. The various combinations of tested and untested
groups with treatment and control groups allows the researcher to ensure that confounding variables
and extraneous factors have not influenced the results.
Experiments are most suitable for descriptive research. - CORRECT ANSWERS False
They are most suitable for explanatory research, identifying causal relationships.
The problem of external validity refers to the generalizability of results. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
External validity is the validity of generalized (causal) inferences in scientific research. In other words, it
is the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people.
Qualitative study relying on the idiographic approach tends to have low external validity.
Instrumentation is NOT a threat to internal validity in the one-shot case study. - CORRECT ANSWERS
True
Internal validity is a property of scientific studies which reflects the extent to which a causal conclusion
based on a study is warranted. Such warrant is constituted by the extent to which a study minimizes
systematic error (or 'bias'). Instrumentation refers changes in the measurement of the dependent
variable in pretest and posttest. One-shot case study DOES not have pretest or posttest. Therefore,
instrumentation is not an issue for one-shot case study. One-shot case study is one of the classical pre-
experimental designs.
The dependent variable is also known as the experimental stimulus. - CORRECT ANSWERS
False
