RESEARCH DESIGNS

Experimental research design

 Experimental research design
• The purpose of an experimental design is to
provide a structure for evaluating the cause-
and-effect relationship between a set of
independent and dependent variables.
• Within the design, the researcher manipulates
the levels of the independent variable and
incorporates elements of control, so that the
evidence supporting a causal relationship can
be interpreted with confidence
 Experimental research designs
• True Experimental designs
• Quasi-Experimental designs
Allocation concealment
(Blinding)
Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Two-Group Pretest-Posttest Design
Two-Group Pretest-Posttest Design
Multigroup Pretest-Posttest Design
Multigroup Pretest-Posttest Design
Posttest-Only Control Group Design
Posttest-Only Control Group Design
 Multi-Factor Designs for Independent Groups:
Factorial Design
• A factorial design incorporates two or more
independent variables, with independent
groups of subjects randomly assigned to
various combinations of levels of the two
variables.
 Factorial Design
• Factorial designs are described according to
their dimensions or number of factors, so that
a two-way or two-factor design has two
independent variables, a three-way or three-
factor design has three independent variables,
and so on.
 Factorial Design
• These designs can also be described by the
number of levels within each factor, so that a
3 x 3 design includes two variables, each with
three levels, and a 2 x 3 x 4 design includes
three variables, with two, three and four
levels, respectively.
 Factorial Design
• A factorial design is diagrammed using a
matrix notation that indicates how groups are
formed relative to levels of each independent
variable
 Factorial Design
• Uppercase letters, typically A, B and C, are
used to label the independent variables and
their levels. For instance, with two
independent variables, A and B, we can
designate three levels for the first one (A1, A2
and A3) and two levels for the second (B1,B2)
 Factorial Design
• The number of groups is the product of the
digits that define the design. For example, 3 x
3 = 9 groups; 2 x 3 x 4 = 24 groups. Each cell of
the matrix represents a unique combination of
levels.
 Two-Way Factorial Design
• A two-way factorial design incorporates two
independent variables, A and B.
Two-Way Factorial Design
Two-Way Factorial Design
 Two-Way Factorial Design
• Is there a differential effect of moderate
versus vigorous exercise?
• Is there a differential effect of exercising at
home or a community center?
• What is the interaction between intensity and
location of exercise?
Two-Way Factorial Design
 Three-Way Factorial Design
• Factorial designs can be extended to include
more than two independent variables. In a
three-way factorial design ,the relationship
among variables can be conceptualized in a
three-dimensional format
 Three-Way Factorial Design
• For example, we could expand the exercise
study to include a third variable such as
frequency of exercise. We would then
evaluate the simultaneous effect of intensity,
location and frequency of exercise. We could
assign subjects to exercise 1 day or 3 days per
week.
• We have a 2 x 2 x 2 design, with subjects
assigned to one of 8 independent groups
Three-Way Factorial Design
 Three-Way Factorial Design
• we can examine three double interactions:
intensity x location, intensity x frequency,and
location x frequency
• Triple interaction of intensity, location and
frequency
 Randomized Block Design
• When a researcher is concerned that an
extraneous factor might influence differences
between groups, one way to control for this
effect is to build the variable into the design as
an independent variable
 Randomized Block Design
• The randomized block design is used when an
attribute variable, or blocking variable, is
crossed with an active independent variable;
that is, homogeneous blocks of subjects are
randomly assigned to levels of a manipulated
treatment variable
Randomized Block Design
 Randomized Block Design
• Example (2 x 3 randomized block design, with
a total of 6 groups.)
– A study was performed to assess the action of an anti-arrhythmic
agent in healthy men and women after a single intravenous dose.
Researchers wanted to determine if effects were related to dose and
gender. Twenty-four subjects were recruited, 12 men and 12 women.
Each gender group was randomly assigned to receive 0.5, 1 .5 or 3.0
mg/kg of the drug for 2 minutes. Therefore, 4 men and 4 women
received each dose. Through blood tests, volume of distribution of the
drug at steady state was assessed before and 72 hours after drug
administration. The change in values was analyzed across the six study
groups.
Nested Design
Nested Design
 REPEATED MEASURES DESIGNS
• one group of subjects is tested under all
conditions and each subject acts as his own
control.
• a repeated measures design can be
considered a series of trials, each with a single
subj ect. Therefore, such a design is also called
a “within-subj ects design”
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
• This is a single-factor experiment, where one
group of subjects is exposed to all levels of
one independent variable
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
• Order Effects. Because subjects are exposed to
multiple-treatment conditions in a repeated
measures design, there must be some concern about
the potentially biasing effect of test sequence; that
is, the researcher must determine if responses might
be dependent on which condition preceded which
other condition. Effects such as fatigue,learning or
carryover may influence responses if subjects are all
tested in the same order
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
• Order Effects
• Solution 1: randomize the order of
presentation for each subject, often by the flip
of a coin, so that there is no bias involved in
choosing the order of testing
• Solution 2: Latin Square
One-Way Repeated Measures Des1gn
• Latin Square
 Crossover Design
• When only two levels of an independent variable are
repeated, a preferred method to control for order
effects is to counterbalance the treatment conditions
so that their order is systematically varied. This
creates a crossover design in which half the subjects
receive Treatment A followed by B, and half receive B
followed by A. Two subgroups are created, one for
each sequence, and subjects are randomly assigned
to one of the sequences
Crossover Design
Crossover Design
 Two-Way Design with Two Repeated
Measures
• Repeated measures can also be applied to
studies involving more than one independent
variable
Two-Way Design with Two Repeated
Measures
Two-Way Design with Two Repeated
Measures