Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

Defined as the observation under controlled conditions, experimental research

design is concerned with having the explanation on the causal relationship of the
intervention and dependent variable. The observations are usually recorded over a long
period of time, increasing their precision and accuracy (with the environment being
controlled), thus being a great help to researchers in creating their conclusions (Saigo,
2022).

Experimental research design can either be a true, quasi-experimental, or pre-

experimental research. The former, true experimental, is the research where all
extraneous variables that may affect the results of the observations to be gathered by
the researchers were all controlled or can be predicted confidently (Shuttleworth, 2008).
Furthermore, there are three main characteristics true experimental research must have
and these are the following: manipulation, control, and randomization. Manipulation
would mean intervening on the independent variable, or altering something on the
environment where the research is being conducted while control is about controlling
the extraneous variables or the establishment of a control group to which the
researchers can compare the manipulated group into. Randomization on the other hand
is done to minimize the risk of questioning the internal validity of the study, thus also
increasing its reliability. Additionally, true experimental research designs are considered
to be the most appropriate design for studies whose aim is to find an explanation on the
causality between the involved variables. Moreover, the usage of controlled
environment in these types of researches minimizes the risks of extraneous variables
affecting the results therefore producing conclusions of highest degree of purity.
However, since most of the time the studies of this design is being conducted on

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives

 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

controlled environments, the results are difficult to be replicated in natural settings

especially when it is a study that would need human subjects for it to be recreated.

There are various types of true experimental design and some of those are: post-
test only, pretest post-test only, and Solomon 4 groups research design. Post-test only
control design omits pretest on the test subjects while conducting post-test on both
manipulated and controlled group. This particular type of research design is helpful in
circumstances where the researchers are not able to conduct a pretest on the test
subjects or respondents (Choueiry, 2022). An example where the design could be used,
is in a study where the researchers must assess the effect of participating in a chess
program on a student’s math scores. If the researchers concluded that the chess
program was definitely helpful in getting higher math scores without determining first the
mathematical skills and capabilities of each student, this is a post-test only control
design. On the other hand, pretest-post-test only design is where the researchers are
examining each group first and their effect on the dependent variable before
administering the treatment only to the manipulated group and conducting the post-test
on both groups (Bell, 2012). By doing so, researchers are able to confidently state their
results without questioning its validity and reliability due to the fact that the only
difference between the two groups involved are the treatment employed on the
manipulated one. One example of such study is when researchers or educators try to
implement a new method of teaching. They would first conduct a pretest that will help
them determine where the student currently lies at on the steps of education, and
implementing the new strategy of teaching to one group of randomly assigned students
before conducting the post-test.

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives

 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

In addition to the first two types of true experimental research design is the
Solomon 4 groups design which is a combination of post-test and pretest-post-test only
design. According to Daily (2017), research design utilizes four groups of fully
randomized subjects or respondents (two experimental groups and another two control
groups) with the pretest being implemented only on the first experimental and control
group, and treatments being applied only to the experimental groups. All groups will
then receive the post-test afterwards, obtaining data and observations on the
relationships between the independent and dependent variables. Additionally, Solomon
4 groups research design was stated to be the most prestigious research design
because it minimizes the threat to internal and external validity.

Apart from true experimental, quasi-experimental is the other type of

experimental research design. Similar to true experimental, its application would mean
that the researchers would like to know the causal relationship between the intervention
applied and the dependent variable. However, what sets it apart from the first type is its
lack of randomization in the assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups
(Thomas, 2022). The absence of randomization and sometimes a control group makes
this design less reliable and subject to scrutiny due to its questionable validity because
of the extraneous variables that cannot be eliminated or controlled in natural settings.
Nonetheless, quasi-experimental is more practical and feasible, and the researchers are
able to look on the problem in its natural settings. There are two types of research
design under quasi-experimental: nonrandomized control group, and time-series design.

Nonrandomized control group design which can also be called as “nonequivalent

control group design”, is identical to how a pretest-post-test only design is being

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives

 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

employed except there is no randomization on the assignment of each subject to the

experimental and control groups (Sedgwick, 2017). Another one of the aforementioned
research designs under quasi-experimental is the time-series design. The time-series
design, according to Goodwin, Hoeppner, & Velicer (2010), unlike the other research
designs that were discussed, is single-subject research suited for when a researcher
wants to observe the effect of the intervention on the dependent variable. Examples of
such studies can include the determination of the proper learning technique for a child
by monitoring his educational growth and changing into new technique on a weekly or
monthly basis.

Last of the types of experimental research is the pre-experimental research

designs which are deemed to be the less reliable of the three experimental researches
aforementioned above. This is for the reason that researchers have little to no control
on the variables and the experiment itself. However, while the reliability and validity of
its results are questionable, it is by far the easiest experimental research design and is
beginner-friendly to those who have only started in experimental research.

Research designs under pre-experimental are as follow: one-shot case, and one
group pretest-post-test design. In one-shot case research design, the only group is the
experimental group and a complete absence of control group is to be expected. The
only group in this research design is simply exposed to the treatment and is later
observed afterwards. On the other hand, one group pretest-post-test research design is
similar to the pretest-post-test design under true experimental except with the absence
of control group, and control on extraneous variables.

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives

 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

Every research design has their own strength and weaknesses and it Is up to the
researchers to determine what research design is the most appropriate to be used for
their study. Factors that may influence the research design researchers will use may
vary from budget to the actual needs of the study, however, an appropriate design is
sure to help in the creation of an outstanding and successful study.

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives

 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel No. (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts Chemical

and Food Engineering Department

References:

Bell, B. A. (2012). Encyclopedia of Research Designs . SAGE Publications Inc.

Choueiry, G. (2022). Posttest-Only Control Group Design: An Introduction. Retrieved

from Quantifying Health: https://quantifyinghealth.com/posttest-only-control-
group-design/
Daily, K. (2017). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods. SAGE
Publications Inc.
Saigo, H. (2022, February 9). What is Experimental Research Design? Retrieved from
Study.com: https://study.com/learn/lesson/experimental-research-design-
study.html
Sedgwick, P. (2017, November 15). Nonrandomized Trials: Designs and Methodology.
Retrieved from Wiley Online Library:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118445112.stat08126
Shuttleworth, M. (2008, May 24). True Experimental Design. Retrieved from Explorable:
https://explorable.com/true-experimental-design
Thomas, L. (2022, July 21). Quasi-Experimental Design: Definition, Types & Examples.
Retrieved from Scribbr: https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quasi-
experimental-design/
Velicer, W. F., Hoeppner, B. B., & Goodwin, M. S. (2010). Encyclopedia of Research
Design. California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives