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Quasi Experiments

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Ahmed Saban Ahmed Wara
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5 views

Quasi Experiments

Uploaded by

Ahmed Saban Ahmed Wara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Quasi Experiments

Non-Experimental Research
Research Methods & Statistics
Fall 2011
Quasi Experiments
• “Research procedure in which the scientist must select
subjects for different conditions from preexisting groups”
– Research Methods, McBurney & White
• “An empirical study used to estimate the causal impact of
an intervention on its target population. Quasi-
experimental research designs share many similarities with
the traditional experimental design or randomized
controlled trial, but they specifically lack the element of
random assignment to treatment or control. Instead, quasi-
experimental designs typically allow the researcher to
control the assignment to the treatment condition, but
using some criterion other than random assignment.
– Wikipedia, Nov. 17, 2011
It’s a matter of control
True Experiment Quasi Experiment
• Random assignment of • Selection of subjects for the
subjects to condition conditions
• Manipulate the IV • Observe categories of
subjects
– If the subject variable is the
IV, it’s a quasi experiment
• Don’t know whether
• Control allows ruling out of differences are caused by
alternative hypotheses the IV or differences in the
subjects
Other features
• In some instances cannot completely control
the what, when, where, and how
– Need to collect data at a certain time or not at all
– Practical limitations to data collection,
experimental protocol
Validity
• Internal validity is reduced due to the
presence of controlled/confounded variables
– But not necessarily invalid
• It’s important for the researcher to evaluate
the likelihood that there are alternative
hypotheses for observed differences
– Need to convince self and audience of the validity
External validity
• If the experimental setting more closely
replicates the setting of interest, external
validity can be higher than a true experiment
run in a controlled lab setting
• Often comes down to what is most important
for the research question
Nonequivalent Control Group Designs
• 2 groups, non-random allocation of subjects
and groups, pre-test, treatment (Y/N), post-
test
• Desired pattern:
– Dependent variables have equal pre-test values,
difference seen between experimental and control
groups on post-test (Pre: LL, Post: HL)
– Want to show that any differences that exist did
not impact the value of the variable of interest
Mixed Factorial Design with One Non-
manipulated Variable
• Example: experiment on pain perception (effect of
caffeine, expected differences between men and
women)
• Protocol:
– 25 men/25 women, each takes part in two sessions, one
week apart
– One session: drink coffee (decaf) and put hand in ice-water
until feel pain
– Other session: drink coffee (caffeinated) and put hand in
ice-water until feel pain
• Between subjects variable (male/female)
• Within subjects variable (caffeine intake)
Non-Experimental Research
• “Any quantitative study without manipulation
of treatments or random assignment is a non-
experimental study”
• Experimental research shows cause and effect
• Non-experimental research studies variables
as they exist
Purpose
• Descriptive:
– primary focus for the research is to describe some
phenomenon or to document its characteristics.
• Predictive:
– primary focus for the research is to predict some
variable of interest (criterion) using information from
other variables (predictors).
• Explanatory :
– the primary focus for the research is to explain how
some phenomenon works or why it operates.
Time Frame
• Cross-sectional:
– data are collected at one point in time, often in order to
make comparisons across different types of respondents
or participants.
• Prospective (longitudinal):
– data are collected on multiple occasions starting with the
present and going into the future for comparisons across
time.
• Retrospective:
– look back in time using existing or available data to explain
or explore an existing occurrence.

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