Statistics is the science and the art of learning from data. ?

As a discipline, it is not only concerned

with the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data but also with the presentation and
communication of results based on the analysis performed on the data.
The purpose of a study is often to investigate the relationship between two or more variables
involved in the study. For example, does exercise reduce weight? or do people who drink milk
before bedtime tend to go to sleep earlier than the people who drink coffee?
The study we conduct to perform statistical analysis of our data can majorly be of two types
— Observational and Experimental.
When we read about any research, we usually do not pay attention to how the study was designed.
However, to understand the quality of the results/findings claimed by the study, it is extremely
important for us to know this.
I myself never paid attention to any research as to how it has been designed and rather believed the
claims made by it. I know that was a stupid move but yes I was unaware of the types of studies
earlier. I hope you guys are aware of them. If not, then this article can help you understand the
concept well. ?
A simple example of research that many people generally believe to be accurate is regarding
food/health/nutrition. They are generally in the news headlines and widely shared on social media
too. One day we might read a study claiming that eggs increase the risk of cancer and the following
day we might read a claim saying that they are extremely healthy. (Note that, this is just an example
to state my point clearly).
We can observe that different studies claim most food items to be either positively or negatively
associated with health, which might be true in some sense. For example, the excess intake of a
highly nutritious food item can negatively affect the body. But it is extremely important to make
sure that the evidence/claim we are reading about is reliable or not.
So, let us find out what these studies tell us using some example problems.
1. Observational Study ?
In this type of study, we measure or survey members of a sample without trying to affect the
members or manipulating the variables. Here, we simply observe what is happening and record the
observations. So, it would be correct to say that researchers do not impose any kind of treatment or
restriction to the group nor do they randomly assign the subjects to a group. There is basically no
manipulation of the environment in which the subject occurs.
Thus, this type of study shows that there may be a relationship between variables but it is not
necessary to be a cause and effect (causal) relationship. And, even if the observational study shows
a cause-effect relationship, the evidence provided by it is generally considered to be weak.
An opinion survey asking questions about how people liked the most recent documentary is an
example of an observational study. Here, the researchers have no control over the participants.
Some of the key points about observational studies are as follows:
• Observational studies are less expensive than experimental studies.
 • The time required for the completion of observational studies can be several years to
decades.

2. Experimental Study ?
In this type of study, we randomly assign a treatment to a group so that the researchers can draw the
cause and effect (causal) conclusion. This random assignment of treatments is what distinguishes
both the studies (observational and experimental). Here, we experiment and manipulate the
environment of the subject to measure the response (dependent) variable. Evidence provided by the
experimental study is considered to be stronger than the observational study.
This type of study is also sometimes called a scientific study because of the treatment involved in
it.
Note: The experimental study involves two groups — experiment group and control
group. Control group is the group in the study that does not receive treatment by the
researchers.
Some of the key points about experimental studies are as follows:
• Experimental studies are closely monitored.
• Experimental studies are expensive.
• Experimental studies are typically smaller and shorter than observational studies.

Now, let us understand the difference between the two types of studies using different problems.

Problem 1:
A study took a random sample of students and asked them about their bedtime schedules. The data
showed that people who sleep for at least 8 hours before the exam day were more likely to get good
grades than those who sleep for less than 8 hours.
Type of Study: Observational
Reason: The study is a kind of a survey that just asked people about the number of hours they sleep
right before the exam day and how many marks they scored. Since the people were not randomly
assigned to any group or given any treatment, the study was an observational study.

Problem 2:
A study randomly assigned people to one of the two groups. Group 1 was asked to follow a strict
study schedule for a fixed period of time whereas Group 2 was asked to study in the same way as
they used to earlier. The researchers looked at which group scored better in the exams.
Type of Study: Experimental
Reason: The study randomly assigned people to two different groups out of which one group was
given a treatment whereas the other group was not. Thus, this was an experimental study.
Problem 3:
A study took a random sample of people and examined their smoking habits. Each person was
classified as either a light, moderate or heavy smoker. The researcher looked at the stress level of
each group.
Type of Study: Observational
Reason: The study took a random sample of people but does not randomly assign people to
different groups. The study simply observed whether the people were light, moderate, or heavy
smokers and their stress level. Thus, this was an observational study.
I hope you can now distinguish between experimental and observational studies and can even take
responsible decisions for yourself after reading any study.