Experimental Design

Definition

Experimental design refers to the process of planning and conducting an experiment to investigate cause-and-effect relationships between variables. It involves defining treatments, assigning participants to different groups, and controlling for confounding factors to ensure valid results.

Related terms

Control Group: A group in an experiment that does not receive any treatment or intervention. It serves as a baseline for comparison against the experimental group(s).

Randomization: The process of assigning participants or subjects to different treatment groups randomly. It helps minimize bias and ensures that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any group.

Confounding Variable: An extraneous variable that is not intentionally controlled but may influence the outcome of an experiment. It can lead to inaccurate conclusions if not properly accounted for in the design.