Types of Experimental Research Designs

The quality oI an experiment depends on how well the various threats to internal validity
are controlled. Good designs control many oI these threats, while poor designs control only a
Iew. Major Ieatures oI experimental designs are given in below:
1. eak Experimental Designs/Pre-Experimental Designs
O o not have built-in-controls Ior threats to internal validity or external validity
O iIIiculty in assessing the eIIectiveness oI the independent variable.
The One-Shot Case Study
2 To assess the eIIect oI treatment
Notaton Parad2
X O
Treatment Post-test/Observation

Weakness
O The most obvious weakness oI this design is its absence oI any control.
O o way oI knowing iI the results obtained at O are due to treatment X. The design does
not provide Ior any comparison, so the researcher cannot compare the treatment results.
#e2edy omparison could be made with another group.
The One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design
2 To know whether any change occur aIter treatment
Notaton Parad2
O X O
Pre-test Treatment Post-test
Weakness
O ine uncontrolled threats to internal validity (history, maturation, instrument decay, data
collector characteristics, data collector bias, testing, statistical regression, attitude oI
subjects, and implementation).
O The researcher would not know iI any diIIerence between the pretest and the posttest are
due to the treatment or to one or more oI these threats.
#e2edy comparison group, which does not receive the treatment, could be added.
The Static-Group Comparison Design/ 2 Groups, Post-test Comparison/Nonequivalent
Control Group Design
2 To Iind diIIerence between pretest and posttest are due to the treatment or to one or more
threats to internal or external validity.
O Two already existing, or intact, groups are used.
O $ubjects are not randomly assigned to the two groups.
Notaton Parad2
Treatment Post-test
X O
O
Strenth
O esign provides between control over history, maturation, testing, regression, mortality,
location and diIIerential subject characteristics.
The Static-Group Pretest-Posttest Design/ Matching only Pretest Posttest Control Group
Design
Pretest s ;en to both roups.
Notaton Parad2
Group Pre-test Treatment Post-test
Exper2ental roup O X O
Control Group O O
Strenth
O n the event that the pretest is used to match groups, this design becomes the matching-
only pretest-posttest control group design, a much more eIIective design.
Weakness istory and maturation remain possible threats.
2. True Experimental Designs
O $ubjects are randomly assigned to treatment groups Ior controlling the subject
characteristic threat to internal validity.
The Randomized Posttest-Only Control Group Design
Two groups, both oI which are Iormed by random assignment
Notaton Parad2
Group Pre-test Treatment Post-test
Treat2ent roup R X O
Control Group R
Random
assignment

ontrol Group
O
Measurement oI
the dependent
variable
Strenth
O Through the use oI random assignment, the threats oI subject characteristics, maturation,
and statistical regression are well controlled. Because none oI the subjects in the study
are measured twice, testing is not possible threat. This is the best design Irom all other
experimental designs.
Weakness $ome threats to internal validity that are not controlled Ior by this design. These
threats are implementation, mortality, data collector bias, location and history.
The Randomized Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Ths desn d11ers 1ro2 the rando2ed posttest-only control roup desn solely n the use o1 a
pretest.
Notaton Parad2
Exper2ental roup R O X O
Control Group R O O

Weakness The use oI the pretest raises the possibility oI a pretest treatment interaction threat.
This is particularly desirable iI the number in each group is small (less than 30). pretest is also
necessary iI the amount oI change over time is to be assessed.
The Randomized Solomon Four-Group Design
t is an attempt to eliminate the possible eIIect oI a pretest.
Notaton Parad2
Treatment Group R O X O
Control roup R O O
Treat2ent Group R X O
Control Group R O
Strenth
O Best control oI the threats to internal validity.
Weakness
O t requires a large sample and Ior conducting this study Iour groups at the same time
requires a considerable amount oI energy and eIIort on the part oI the researcher.
Random Assignment with Matching
Pairs oI individuals may be matched on certain variables. The choice oI variables on
which to match is based on previous research, theory, and/or the experience oI the researcher.
The members oI each pair are then assigned to the experimental and control groups at random.
This is Ior both posttest-only control group design, and the pretest-posttest control group design.
Notaton Parad2
The #ando2ed Posttest-Only Control Group Desn, Usn Matched Subfects
Treat2ent roup M
r
X O
Control Group M
r
O

The #ando2ed Pretest-Posttest Control Group Desn, Usn Matched Subfects
Treat2ent roup M
r
O X O
Control Group M
r
O O

The sy2bol M
r
re1ers to the 1act that the 2e2bers o1 each 2atched par are rando2ly assned to
the exper2ental and control roups.
Strenth
O ncrease the likelihood that groups oI subjects in an experiment will be equivalent.
O Matching may be done in either or both oI two ways: mechanically or statistically.
. "uasi-Experimental Designs
O ot use oI random assignment
The Matching-Only Design
Researcher matches the subjects in the experimental and control groups on certain
variables.
When random assignment is impossible then this design is used.
Notaton Parad2
The Matchn-Only Posttest-Only Control Group Desn
Treat2ent roup M X O
Control Group M O

The Matchn-Only Pretest-Posttest Control Group Desn
Treat2ent roup M O X O
Control Group M O O
The M n ths desn 2eans that the subfect n each roup ha;e been 2atched but not rando2ly
assned to the roups.
Weakness
O This can`t be substitute Ior random assignment.
Counterbalanced Designs
Each group is exposed to all treatments, however many there are, but in a diIIerent order.
Notaton Parad2
Three-Treat2ent Counterbalanced Desn
Group 1 X
1
O X
2
O X
3
O
Group 2 X
2
O X
3
O X
1
O
Group 3 X
3
O X
1
O X
2
O
Strenth
O This design controls well Ior the subject characteristics threat to internal validity.
Weakness
O 'ulnerable to multiple-treatment interIerence.
Time-Series Designs
Repeated measurements or observations over a period oI time both beIore and aIter
treatment.
Notaton Parad2
Three-Treat2ent Counterbalanced Desn
Group 1 X
1
O X
2
O X
3
O
Group 2 X
2
O X
3
O X
1
O
Group 3 X
3
O X
1
O X
2
O
Strenth
O The researcher has more conIidence that the treatment is causing the improvement than iI
just one pretest and posttest were given.
Weakness
O This design has threats to internal validity that are history, instrumentation, and testing.
. Factorial Designs
O These permit the investigation oI additional independent variables.
O t allows a researcher to study the interaction oI an independent variable with one or more
other variables.
Notaton Parad2
Factoral Desn
Treatment R O X Y
1
O
ontrol R O Y
1
O
Treatment R O X Y
2
O
ontrol R O Y
2
O
Strenth
O t is possible using a Iactorial design to assess not only the separate eIIect oI each
independent variable but also their joint eIIect.