Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Causal-Comparative
(Ex post facto)
Research
Procedures in causal-comparative
research
Identify an existing condition or event (e.g.,
differences in socialization among 1st grade
students)
Look backwards to see what may have
caused this difference/condition to occur
(i.e., some attended preschool, some did
not)
Rule out other causal factors
Correlational
No attempt to
understand cause and
effect
Two or more variables
Only one group
Comparison to experiments
Causal comparative
Individuals already in
groups before study
begins
Independent variable
has already occurred
Independent variable is
not manipulated
Cannot be
Should not be
Could be, but is not
Experiment
Individuals randomly
assigned to groups
(e.g., treatment or
control)
Independent variable
manipulated by the
researcher
Examples of non-manipulated
independent variables
Age
Sex
Ethnicity
Learning style
Socioeconomic status (SES)
Parent educational level
Family environment
Type of school attended
Design of causal-comparative
research
Select 2 groups that differ on some IV
One group possesses a characteristic that the other does
not
Each group possesses the characteristic, but in differing
amounts
Evidence necessary to
demonstrate that X causes Y:
Establish statistical relationship
between X and Y (i.e., correlational
research);
determine that X precedes Y in time
(collect data over time, i.e., longitudinal
research);
demonstrate that other, unknown
factors did not determine the dependent
variable (i.e., experimental research).
Research Design
FOLLOW-THROUGH
Year 1 (1975) Gr 5
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site 4
Site 5
Year 2 (1976) Gr 6
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site 4
Site 5
NO FOLLOW-THROUGH
Year 1 (1975) Gr 5
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site 4
Site 5
Year 2 (1976) Gr 6
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site 4
Site 5
Dependent variables
Wide-Range Achievement Test (WRAT)
reading
mathematics
RESULTS
A total of 180 comparisons of FT to No-FT
students. Of these, only 56 (31%) favored
FT students!
Largest differences between FT and No-FT
students were in basic skills areas.
FT students achievement declined by
grades 5 and 6 (2-3 years after end of FT).