EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS

Dr. U. S. Mishra

SLIDE 4-1

What is an Experiment?
An experiment is generally used to

infer a causality. In an experiment, a

researcher actively manipulates one
or more causal variables and
measures their effects on the
dependent variable of interest.

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-2

Necessary Conditions for Making

Causal Inferences
Concomitant variation
Time order of occurrence of variables
Absence of other possible causal factors

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-3

Concepts Used in Experiments

Independent variables: Independent variables

are also known as explanatory variables or

treatments. The levels of these variables are
manipulated (changed) by researchers to
measure their effect on the dependent variable.
Test units: Test units are those entities on which
treatments are applied.
Dependent variables: These variables measures
the effect of treatments (independent variable) on
the test units.
Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-4

Concepts Used In Experiments

Experiment: An experiment is executed when the

researcher manipulates one or more independent

variables and measures their effect on the dependent
variables while controlling the effect of the
extraneous variables.
Extraneous variables: These are the variables other
than the independent variables which influence the
response of test units to treatments.
Examples:
Store
size,
government
policies,
temperature, food intake, geographical location, etc.
Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-5

Validity in Experimentation
Internal validity: Internal validity tries to examine

whether the observed effect on a dependent

variable is actually caused by the treatments
(independent variables) in question.
External validity: External validity refers to the
generalization of the results of an experiment.
The concern is whether the result of an
experiment can be generalized beyond the
experimental situations.

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-6

Factors Affecting Internal Validity

of the Experiment
History
Maturation
Testing
Instrumentation
Statistical regression
Selection bias
Test unit mortality

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-7

Factors Affecting External Validity

The environment at the time of test may be

different from the environment of the real world

where these results are to be generalized.
Population used for experimentation of the test
may not be similar to the population where the
results of the experiments are to be applied.
Results obtained in a 56 week test may not hold
in an application of 12 months.
Treatment at the time of the test may be different
from the treatment of the real world.
Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-8

Methods to Control Extraneous

Variables
Randomization
Matching
Use of experimental designs
Statistical control

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

Environments of Conducting
Experiments

SLIDE 4-9

Laboratory

Environment - In a laboratory
experiment, the researcher conducts the
experiment
in
an
artificial
environment
constructed exclusively for the experiment.

Field Environment - The field experiment is

conducted in actual market conditions. There is

no attempt to change the real-life nature of the
environment.

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-10

A Classification of Experimental
Designs

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-11

Pre-experimental design
Pre-experimental designs do not make use of any randomization
procedures to control the extraneous variables. Therefore, the
internal validity of such designs is questionable.
One-shot case study:

One-group pre-testpost-test design:

O1 X O 2
Static group comparison:

Group 1 - X O1
Group 2 Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

O2

SLIDE 4-12

Quasi-experimental designs
In quasi-experimental design, the researcher can
control when measurements are taken and on
whom they are taken. However, this design lacks
complete control of scheduling of treatment and
also lacks the ability to randomize test units
exposure to treatments.
Time series design:

O1 O2 O 3 O 4 X O 5 O 6 O7 O 8
Contd..
Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-13

Quasi-experimental designs

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-14

Quasi-experimental designs
Multiple time series design:

Experimental Group: O1 O2 O3 O4 X O5 O6 O7 O8
Control Group:

O1 O2 O3 O4

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

O5 O6 O7 O8

SLIDE 4-15

True experimental designs

In true experimental designs, researchers can
randomly assign test units and treatments to an
experimental group. Here, the researcher is able to
eliminate the effect of extraneous variables from
both the experimental and control group.
Pre-testpost-test control group:

Experimental Group: R O1 X O2
Control Group:
R O3
O4

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

SLIDE 4-16

True experimental designs

Post-test only control group design:

Experimental Group: R
Control Group:
R

O1
O2

Solomon four-group design:

Experimental Group 1 :
Control Group 1:
Experimental Group 2:
Control Group 2:
Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,
IBCS, SOA University

R
R
R
R

O1
O3

O2
O4
X O5
O6

SLIDE 4-17

Statistical designs
Statistical designs allow for statistical control and
analysis of external variables.
Completely randomized design
Randomized block design
Latin square design
Factorial design

Dr. Uma Sankar Mishra, Associate Professor,

IBCS, SOA University

END OF CHAPTER