FRHD 3070 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Dependent And Independent Variables, Interrupted Time Series, Field Experiment

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 3070
• Professor: John Dwyer

Document Summary

Experimental research builds on the principles of a positivist approach more directly than other research techniques. Strongest technique for testing causal relationships: and making comparisons between results. Experiment"s basic logic extends common sense thinking. Experiments are limited to research questions in which a researcher is able to manipulate conditions/intervene: not always possible or ethical, not simply observing things, but imposing situations. Experiments usually best for issues with a narrow scope or scale. Random sampling: population (sampling frame) random process sample. Science of the sophomore: a term used to refer to the potentially limited external validity of studies based on undergraduate samples using the experimental method: due to difficulty generalizing to wider population. The purpose of random assignment is to get 2+ equivalent groups, so some believe it would be simpler to match characteristics of cases in each group. Presents problem: difficult to know which characteristics to match are relevant.