Worksheet 6 (Chapter 7 & 12)

Please answer to the following sets of questions and submit the file using assignment link from
Canvas (no email attachments).

Part-1: Experimental Design (40 points)

1. Define experiment and quasi-experimental method and explain the benefits of experiment
forms over quasi-experimental (5 points)
The experimental method is a research process that follows the scientific method and
establishes variables, hypotheses and research questions to test a phenomenon. The quasi
experiment method involves non random sampling and no control group to study a
specific sample. The experimental method is better than the quasi experimental method
because it yields more accurate results, has higher validity, and is replicable, in addition
to results tracked by independent and dependent variables which can be tested and
justified.
2. Explain different types of experimental methods and provide one example research topics
for each one (10 points) There are three types of experimental methods, lab method, field
method and natural experiment. A lab experiment involves a highly controlled
environment which the researcher selects and maintains, and a Research topic could be,
how would a person’s morality change if under surveillance or if they are anonymous? A
field experiment is conducted in a real life environment, where the participants everyday
behaviors are studied, and a topic could be are people more likely to change their beliefs
if their friends all agree on a Consensus? Finally, a natural experiment is similar to a field
experiment, except the researchers do not control the independent variable, and an
example would be do pet owners have higher everyday satisfaction than non pet owners?
3. Propose a hypothesis or research questions that should be tested using experimental
method (5 points.) A hypothesis or research question that could be tested using
experimental method is to what degree can a person’s mental health improve with regular
exercise?
4. What type of experiment would you select to examine the proposed hypothesis or
research questions and provide rationale for selecting the type of experiment (10 points).
I would the field method, because it tracks the samples everyday life and there is a certain
degree of control in this experiment.
5. Define manipulation and manipulation checks and why it is needed in experiment (5
points). Manipulation is the process of changing something in an experiment for a result,
and manipulation check is the evaluation of the thing that is manipulated. Manipulation is
done to assess the results of altering the variables.
6. Define random assignment and treatment group (5 points). Random assignment is when
participants of a sample are randomly selected and placed into different groups randomly.
The treatment group of an experiment is the group which is manipulated and changed for
a result.
Part-2: Content Analysis (10 points)
1. Define manifest and latent content in content analysis and difference between them (5
points)
Manifest content analysis is when the content is explicit, while the latent content is
implicit. The difference would be how deep one must dive to figure out the meaning
of a certain pieces of content.
2. How research establishes reliability for content analysis or coding scheme (5 points).
Researchers establish reliability by repeatedly testing the experiment, and if the
results are the same then it is reliable.