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1. Experimental research
2. Correlational research
3. Descriptive research Non- Experimental research
Defining characteristics:
1. Manipulation of variables
Independent variable
Dependent variable
2. Experimental control of other variables
3. Random assignment to groups
Example from the news/class activity
EXAMPLE 1:
"MARRIAGE SLOWS CANCER DEATHS"
Evidence that married people have a better
chance of surviving cancer than do singles
means that the unmarried might be good
targets for cancer-prevention programs.
Married people with cancer had a 23% higher
overall survival rate than the unmarried.
Another example
Example 2:
Children who are aggressive tend to watch a
higher proportion of violent television than
children who are not highly violent or
aggressive
II. Non-Experimental Research
Describing the collected data about such
subject and determining their relationships or
connections with one another.
No treatment or condition.
There is a measuring of variables.
Deals with both Qualitative and Quantitative
data.
When to conduct Non-
Experimental Research
When the researcher desires to discover
people’s thoughts, views, feelings and attitudes
about a certain societal issue, object, place, or
event.
Characteristics of Non
Experimental Research
It is incapable of establishing cause-effect
relationships; by itself.
Involves various ways of data analysis:
1. Primary – analysis of data collected by the researcher
himself.
2. Secondary – examination of data collected bu other
people
3. Meta- analysis- analysis of data expressed
numerically.
Characteristics of Non
Experimental Research
It uses research method that is applicable to
both quantitative and qualitative data.
It collects data through survey, observation,
historical studies, case studies, documentary
analysis, and so on.
3.5
2.5
GPA
2 Series1
1.5
0.5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
self-esteem
Direction of Correlation
Scatterplot showed a positive correlation
As one variable increased, the second variable also increased
As self-esteem goes up, academic achievement also goes up
Think of some examples of positively correlated variables
Does (A) lead to (B)? Or is the other way around? Or, are
there other factors that lead to both (A) and (B)?
Survey Method
Survey Method
• The most used non-experimental research
in the field of Sociology, Psychology, and
Humanities.
Purposes of Survey Research
1. To obtain information about people’s
opinions, and feelings about an issue.
2. To identify present condition, needs, or
problems of people in a short span of time.
3. To seek answers to social problems.
Survey Method
A survey is defined as a brief interview or
discussion with individuals about a specific
topic. Survey research is often used to assess
thoughts, opinions, and feelings. Survey
research can be specific and limited, or it can
have more global, widespread goals.
A survey consists of a predetermined set of
questions that is given to a sample. With a
representative sample, that is, one that is
representative of the larger population of
interest, one can describe the attitudes of
the population from which the sample was
drawn.
3 Techniques of Survey Research are:
Questionnaires
Interviews
Survey
Techniques of Survey
Research
Questionnaires Interviews Survey
• A series of • Questions • Brief interviews
written posed to an and discussions
questions a individual to with individuals
participant obtain about a specific
answers. information topic.
about him or
• This method • A survey is a quick
her.
gathers interview, with
responses to • This type of the surveyor
questions that survey is like a asking only a few
are essay or job interview, questions.
agree/neutral/di with one
sagree style. person asking
another a load
of questions.
Quasi-Experimental
Design
Definition of Experimental
Design
A structured, organized method
To determine whether some program or treatment
causes some outcome or outcomes to occur.
If X, then Y
Because there may be lots of reasons, other than
the program, for why you observed the outcome,
If not X, then not Y needs to be addressed, too
Process of Experimental Design
To show that there is a casual relationship,
Two “equivalent” groups
The program or treatment group gets the program
The comparison or control group does not
The groups are treated the same in all other respects
Differences in outcomes between two groups must
be due to “the program”
A Key Point of Experimental
Design
How do we create two groups that are
“equivalent”?
Assign people randomly from a common pool of
people into the two groups
The experiment relies on the idea of “random
assignment” to obtain two similar groups.
A key to the success of the experiment
Randomized or
Is there a control group or
True experiment multiple measures?
Yes No
Quasi-experiment Non-experiment
Quasi-Experimental Design
Similar to the experimental design, but lacks
the key ingredient, “random assignment”
Easily and more frequently implemented
Extensively used in the social sciences
A useful method for measuring social variables
Strengths of Quasi-Experimental
Design
Useful in generating results for general trends
in social sciences
Difficult pre-selection and randomization of
groups
Easily integrated with individual case studies
Generated results can reinforce the findings in a
case study
Allow statistical analysis to take place
Enable to reduce the time and resources
required for experimentation
Not required extensive pre-screening and
randomization
Weaknesses of Quasi-Experimental
Design
Without proper randomization, statistical tests
can be meaningless
Do not explain any pre-existing factors and
influences outside of the experiment
The researcher needs to control additional factors that
may have affected the results
Some form of pre-testing or random selection may be
necessary to explain statistical results thoroughly
Quasi-experiments vs. Non-
experiments to address similar
questions
Both designs are applicable when the subjects are not able
to be randomized
Some variables cannot ethically be randomized
e.g. Studying the effect of maternal alcohol use when the mother is
pregnant
Quasi-experiments Non-experiments