PSYC 301
EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH
DESIGN
, RECAP
• In Ch6 we identified FIVE basic research strategies, we recent
discussed experimental designs, now we will look at non-
experimental and quasi-experimental strategies.
• The experimental strategy looks for cause-and-effect
relationships between variables, and is distinguished from oth
strategies through: manipulation and control.
• In some research however, it may be difficult/impossible to
meet these requirements of an experiment, particularly in
applied research that often occurs in natural settings.
• Applied research: research designed to solve specific practi
problems (a study used in education, health,
businesses/organisations etc. to find solutions to problems in
these areas).
,• In these situations a researcher uses a research strategy simila
to an experiment, but fails to meet the requirement of an
experiment because confounding variables or some other thre
to internal validity are always present and cannot be removed.
• These studies are called non-experimental or quasi-experimen
designs.
• In these studies we cannot establish an unambiguous cause-a
effect relationship.
, NON-EXPERIMENTAL VS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL
CH10
• The difference between non-experimental and quasi-
experimental research strategies is the degree to which they
limit confounding and control threats to internal validity
• In this section we will look at several different non-experiment
designs and some closely related quasi-experiments.
• NOTE: The fact that quasi-experimental and non-experimental
studies are not true experiments does not mean that they are
useless or even second class research studies.
• Both serve real purposes, and in some cases are the onl
option available for a researcher to answer certain
questions.
EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH
DESIGN
, RECAP
• In Ch6 we identified FIVE basic research strategies, we recent
discussed experimental designs, now we will look at non-
experimental and quasi-experimental strategies.
• The experimental strategy looks for cause-and-effect
relationships between variables, and is distinguished from oth
strategies through: manipulation and control.
• In some research however, it may be difficult/impossible to
meet these requirements of an experiment, particularly in
applied research that often occurs in natural settings.
• Applied research: research designed to solve specific practi
problems (a study used in education, health,
businesses/organisations etc. to find solutions to problems in
these areas).
,• In these situations a researcher uses a research strategy simila
to an experiment, but fails to meet the requirement of an
experiment because confounding variables or some other thre
to internal validity are always present and cannot be removed.
• These studies are called non-experimental or quasi-experimen
designs.
• In these studies we cannot establish an unambiguous cause-a
effect relationship.
, NON-EXPERIMENTAL VS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL
CH10
• The difference between non-experimental and quasi-
experimental research strategies is the degree to which they
limit confounding and control threats to internal validity
• In this section we will look at several different non-experiment
designs and some closely related quasi-experiments.
• NOTE: The fact that quasi-experimental and non-experimental
studies are not true experiments does not mean that they are
useless or even second class research studies.
• Both serve real purposes, and in some cases are the onl
option available for a researcher to answer certain
questions.
