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CHAPTER-4
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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What is an Experiment?

An experiment is generally used to

infer a causality. In an experiment, a
researcher actively manipulates one
or more causal variables and
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measures their effects on the

dependent variable of interest.

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Necessary Conditions for Making

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Causal Inferences

Concomitant variation

Time order of occurrence of variables

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Absence of other possible causal factors

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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Concepts Used in Experiments

Independent variables: Independent variables
are also known as explanatory variables or
treatments. The levels of these variables are
manipulated (changed) by researchers to
measure their effect on the dependent variable.
Test units: Test units are those entities on which
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treatments are applied.

Dependent variables: These variables measures
the effect of treatments (independent variable) on
the test units.

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Concepts Used In Experiments

Experiment: An experiment is executed when the
researcher manipulates one or more independent
variables and measures their effect on the dependent
variables while controlling the effect of the
extraneous variables.
Extraneous variables: These are the variables other
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than the independent variables which influence the

response of test units to treatments.

Examples: Store size, government policies,

temperature, food intake, geographical location, etc.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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Validity in Experimentation
Internal validity: Internal validity tries to examine
whether the observed effect on a dependent
variable is actually caused by the treatments
(independent variables) in question.
External validity: External validity refers to the
generalization of the results of an experiment.
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The concern is whether the result of an

experiment can be generalized beyond the
experimental situations.

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Factors Affecting Internal Validity

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of the Experiment
History
Maturation
Testing
Instrumentation
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Statistical regression
Selection bias
Test unit mortality

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

1. History effects
Certain events or factors have an impact on the
independent and dependent variables which might
occur while the experiment is in progress.
2. Maturation effect
It is the function of the biological and psychological
processes operating on the respondents as a result
of the passage of time.
3. Testing effect
It indicates the effect of a treatment
4. Instrumentation effect
Effect of instruments on pretest and posttest
5. Selection bias effect
Improper or unmatched selection of subjects
6. Statistical regression
This effects are brought when the members chosen
for the experiment have extreme scores on the
dependent variables.
7. Mortality
Death, attrition or withdrawl of the respondents
during the experiment
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Factors Affecting External Validity

The environment at the time of test may be
different from the environment of the real world
where these results are to be
generalized.Eg:Commercial advt to a set of
prospective customer
Population used for experimentation of the test
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may not be similar to the population where the

results of the experiments are to be applied.
Results obtained in a 56 week test may not hold
in an application of 12 months.
Treatment at the time of the test may be different
from the treatment of the real world.
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Methods to Control Extraneous

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Variables
Randomization

Matching
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Use of experimental designs

Statistical control

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Environments of Conducting
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Experiments
Laboratory Environment - In a laboratory
experiment, the researcher conducts the
experiment in an artificial environment
constructed exclusively for the experiment.

Field Environment - The field experiment is

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conducted in actual market conditions. There is

no attempt to change the real-life nature of the
environment.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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A Classification of Experimental
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Designs
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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Pre-experimental design
Pre-experimental designs do not make use of any randomization
procedures to control the extraneous variables. Therefore, the
internal validity of such designs is questionable.

One-shot case study:

X O
One-group pre-testpost-test design:
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O1 X O2
Static group comparison:

Group 1 - X O1
Group 2 - O2

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Quasi-experimental designs
In quasi-experimental design, the researcher can
control when measurements are taken and on
whom they are taken. However, this design lacks
complete control of scheduling of treatment and
also lacks the ability to randomize test units
exposure to treatments.
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Time series design:

O1 O 2 O3 O4 X O 5 O6 O7 O8
Contd..

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Quasi-experimental designs
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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Quasi-experimental designs
Multiple time series design:

Experimental Group: O1 O2 O3 O4 X O5 O6 O7 O8

Control Group: O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 O7 O8
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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True experimental designs

In true experimental designs, researchers can
randomly assign test units and treatments to an
experimental group. Here, the researcher is able to
eliminate the effect of extraneous variables from
both the experimental and control group.
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Pre-testpost-test control group:

Experimental Group: R O1 X O2
Control Group: R O3 O4

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True experimental designs

Post-test only control group design:

Experimental Group: R X O1
Control Group: R O2

Solomon four-group design:

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Experimental Group 1 : R O1 X O2
Control Group 1: R O3 O4
Experimental Group 2: R X O5
Control Group 2: R O6

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Statistical designs

Statistical designs allow for statistical control and

analysis of external variables.
Completely randomized design

Randomized block design

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Latin square design

Factorial design

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES

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END OF CHAPTER
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES