Instructions: This is a group activity that you will start in class and complete at home. For each of the following, note, whether the research design used is an experiment, a quasi-experiment, or a correlational approach and why. If a study is an experiment, identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. Please type your answers in complete sentences.
A research design can be understood as the planning of any scientific research from the first to the last step. In this sense it is a program to guide the researcher in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting facts (Bless and Higson-Smith, 1995:63).
In most cases, scholars view research as large samples of subjects that are either participating in either two groups. Most research studies are considered as an experimental group whereby a treatment, independent variable (IV), or intervention is presented or a control group in which such interventions are not presented (Alberto & Troutman, 2016). Based on case study level C, Case 2, the independent variable is the treatment that is needed to change Rachel’s attitude in class. In the group designs, there is involvement of many subjects with each having an averaged performance, Dependent Variable which is comparable in the evaluation of experimental control. Therefore, Dependent variable in Rachel’s case is her behavior.
Under the research design section it could have been mentioned that the study was a descriptive correlation design, experimental design, Quasi-experimental design, or a comparative descriptive design which is "used to describe a phenomenon of interest and related variable" (Gray, Grove, & Sutherland,
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of an experimental design in an educational study?
Researchers or research teams who elect a quantitative study are going to determine the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable within a population (Babbie, E.R., 2010). There are two types of quantitative study designs: descriptive and experimental. A descriptive design typically measures the subject once and establishes the association between the independent and dependent variables (Mujis, D, 2010). An experimental design measures the subject before and after a treatment and establishes causality between the variables (Brians, C.L. et al, 2011).
Describe the type of research design that will be used in your research, and why you selected this particular type over other types available. Include any assumptions made that influenced your choice. Describe as best you can how you are going to carry out this experiment, step by step. Remember that you do not have to carry out the evaluation, but you should be creating a "recipe" that you and others can follow to aptly answer the question of interest.
The criteria I used to determine the study design is looking at what kind of study the research is. In descriptive and correlational studies, there are no treatments involved (Burns & Grove, 2011). Since this study has treatments involve and the researchers have control over the treatments, it is experimental. Experimental study also uses a smaller sample size like the sample size in the article. It also involves 3 characteristics namely: (1)
Did the design minimize biases and threats to the internal, construct, and external validity of the study (e.g., was blinding used, was attrition minimized)?
3. Determine an appropriate research design that addresses the research question regarding developmental psychology and also explain why it was chosen.
Explain what study design is employed here? Do you agree or disagree with the study design? Explain why?
There are six methods used to analyse trial design; of which are discussed as follows.
True experimental and quasi-experimental research designs are the two most common forms of research design. While they both share similar elements, such as measuring participant results to test the hypothesis, there are also significant differences between true experimental and quasi-experimental research designs (The Regents of the University of Michigan, 2013 ).
A study design is the procedure that guides a researcher on how to collect, analyze and interpret observations. It is a logical model that guides the investigator while he navigates through the various stages of the research. Study types can be classified severally depending on the research strategy employed. A study type can be non-interventional that is ‘observational’ where a researcher just observes and analyses researchable objects or situations without intervening. Non-interventional study designs can be exploratory, descriptive or comparative. A study can also be
Referencing McMillan and Wergin (2010) assertion on the commonality of mixed method designs having one dominate approach, determined through a series of questions. The conclusion is that Oreck (20014) has a dominate quantitative focus. Therefore, to determine whether it contributes significantly to the knowledge base, it must be judged on how well it meets the non-experimental quantitative evaluative criteria offered by McMillian and Wergin (2010). Particularly in its ability to provide connections and rationale to previous studies and illuminate gaps in the present knowledge base that this study will examine through mainly statistical means to discover associations amongst variables.