NADIA AFTAB

ND SEMESTER
M.PHIL. EDUCATION 2

SE A R C H ME T H O D
QUANTITATIVE RE
TOPIC OF PRESENTATION
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
 EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
This is a systematic and scientific approach to research .
Purpose is to find cause and effect relationship
 In this one or more independent variables manipulated and applied
on one or more dependent variables to measure the effect.
Definition And Purpose
According to Lorraine R. Gay
• Experimental research is the only type of research that can test hypothesis
to establish cause-effect relations.
• It represents the strongest chain of reasoning about the links between variables.
• In experimental research the researcher manipulates at least one independent
variable, controls other relevant variables and observes the effect on one or
more dependent variables.
Conti….
According to W . Best
“Experimental research is a description and analysis of what will be,
what occur under carefully controlled conditions”.
• The effect of independent variables on the dependent variables is usually
observed and recorded over time.
• So the reasonable conclusion can be drawn.
The Independent Variable
• The manipulation of an independent variable is the primary characteristic
that differentiates experimental research from other types of research.
• The independent variable also called the treatment, causal, or
experimental variable.
• In educational research, independent variables include; method of
instruction, type of reinforcement, arrangement of learning
environment , type of learning materials, and length of treatment.
The Dependent Variable

• The dependent variable also called the criterion, effect or posttest

variable.
• It gets its name because it is dependent on the independent variable.
Examples

• The effect of positive reinforcement on attitude of

students towards school.
•Impact of AV aids on learning of Math.
•Impact of CAI on students’ achievement.
Types Of Experiment Research
According to Green Wood five types of Experiments,
1. Trial and Error Experiment
2. Controlled observation study
3. Natural experiment
4. Ex-post Facto Experiment
5. Laboratory Experiment
Steps to an Experimental Research
1. Select and define a problem
2. Select participants and measuring instruments
3. Prepare research plan
4. Execution of procedure
5. Analysis of data
6. Formulation of conclusion
Experimental Study
• Hypothesis that state relationship between variables.
• Two groups made , one is experimental group and one control group
• Experimental group receives a novel treatment, while control
group treat usual.
• After treatment ,the researcher test the dependent variables then find
either significant differences between the group exist.
Group Examples

• Presence vs absence
• Home Assignment vs no assignment
• AV aids use or without
• Lecture method vs discussion method
Characteristics

• Manipulation of an independent variable

• Guided by at least one hypothesis that states an expected relation between two
variables.
• Two groups; which group receives new treatment called experimental and other
group which treated as usual is called control.
• The use of randomly formed treatment groups is a unique characteristic of
experimental research.
VALIDITY
Experimental validity;
It is sure the effect on dependent variables is only the result of
independent variables. If any other extraneous variables effect, it is threat
to validity.
• Threats to Internal Validity
• Threats to External Validity
Experimental Research Design
There are two major classes of experimental designs
• Single-Variable Designs; A single variable design is any design that
involves one manipulated independent variable.
• Factorial Design; A factorial design is any design that involves two
or more independent variables, at least one of which is manipulated.
Single- Variable Designs

• Pre- experimental design

• True experimental design
• Quasi-experimental design
Pre-Experimental Designs
Pre-experimental designs are the simplest form of experimental research designs. Pre-
experimental designs have little or no control over extraneous variables. And, these
designs do not randomly assign subjects to different treatments. As a consequence, the
results of a test using a pre-experimental design are difficult to interpret.

• One-shot case study

• One- Group Pretest-Posttest Design
• Static- Group Comparison
Conti..
•The One-shot case study involves a single group that is exposed
to a treatment (X) and then posttest (O) .standard notation for a
one-shot case study: X O1

• The one-group pretest-posttest design involves one group that is pretested (O), exposed to a treatment (X), and

tested again.
Conti..
The static-group comparison involves at least two groups;
one receives a new treatment, and both groups are post tested.
Because participants are not randomly assigned to groups and
there is no pretest data, it is difficult to determine whether the
treatment groups are equal.
True Experimental Designs
True experimental designs control for nearly all threats to internal and external
validity. True experimental designs have one characteristic in common that no
other design has: random assignment of participants to groups. Ideally,
participants should be randomly selected and randomly assigned to treatments.

• Pretest-Posttest control group design ( involves at least 2 groups)

• Posttest-only control group design ( same as above but no Pretest)
• Solomon four group design
Quasi Experimental Designs

The word “quasi” indicates similarity. When it is not possible to assign

subjects to groups randomly, quasi-experimental designs are available to the
researcher;

• Non equivalent control group design

• Time-series design
• Counterbalanced design
FACTORIAL DESIGNS
• Factorial design involve two or more independent variables at least one
of which is manipulated by the researcher. The 2x2 is the simplest
factorial design. Factorial design rarely include more than three factors.
• A factorial design use to test whether the effects of an independent
variable are generalizable across all levels or whether the effects are
specific to particular levels.
Example of Experimental study

• Effects of Mathematical word Problem-Solving Instruction on Middle

School Students with Learning Problems. (p.291)
 THANK YOU
A N Y Q U E S T I O N … … . ?