POLI 30 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Random Assignment, External Validity, Internal Validity
Document Summary
Pre-test -> randomization -> treatment vs control -> both lead to post-test. We do experiments to try to get rid of confounding variables. Experiments make a clear causation statement bc of randomization x -> y . All university research involving human subjects must be approved by a campus. Key principles include voluntary and informed, risk minimization, benefit. How well a research design has tested a causal relationship in the cases examined. Did the treatment make a difference in this case. Random assignment takes away fear of confounds, experiments have high internal. How confident can we be that a causal relationship can be generalized to the. Cases may be different than the general population or our cases may react differently to treatments, or our treatments may be very artificial. College sophomore problem makes external validity the flaw in. Experiments with random assignment are one way to deal with the problem of. Key components are random assignment to treatment or control groups.
