Basic Group Designs for research & evaluation
Non-Experimental Design
In our example in the previous lecture, we wanted to study depression in school kids. We were going to use surveys. This would be known as a non-experimental research design.
Why? Coz, there’s no experiments involved. No one is getting a drug or an intervention or we aren’t putting all the bullies behind bars.
Why? Coz, there’s no experiments involved. No one is getting a drug or an intervention or we aren’t putting all the bullies behind bars.
Experimental Design
If we were interested to determine the effects of a new depression-buster miracle drug, we would use an experimental design.
In an experimental design, to ensure there’s no bias of any kind, we often do what is known as randomization: We identify a whole bunch of similar groups, and then randomly (e.g. with a flip of a coin) determine which group will get the miracle drug and which won’t. We then run the study, measure effects at various intervals across many months, and report our findings.
The ones that don’t get the drug are known as control (or comparison) groups.
So a good experimental design will involve randomization and control groups.
In an experimental design, to ensure there’s no bias of any kind, we often do what is known as randomization: We identify a whole bunch of similar groups, and then randomly (e.g. with a flip of a coin) determine which group will get the miracle drug and which won’t. We then run the study, measure effects at various intervals across many months, and report our findings.
The ones that don’t get the drug are known as control (or comparison) groups.
So a good experimental design will involve randomization and control groups.
Mixed Design
We could use a mixed design wherein there's no physical experiment done, but there is an experimental design used for say an intervention study. Here, we would do a random assignment and can have pre and post-tests done.
An example is provided in the link below (click on the study title in blue):
Improving the Reputation of Cooperative Extension as a Source of Prevention Education for Youth and Families: The Effects of the PROSPER Model
If you'd like to know more about PROSPER, click on the image above.
An example is provided in the link below (click on the study title in blue):
Improving the Reputation of Cooperative Extension as a Source of Prevention Education for Youth and Families: The Effects of the PROSPER Model
If you'd like to know more about PROSPER, click on the image above.