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Experimental and Non-Experimental Research

Student’s Name

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Instructor

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Experimental and Non-Experimental Research

The implementation of researches is integral in providing concrete or practical

solutions to current problems in the global community. Quantitative research designs

represent the popular modalities utilized in the systematic investigation of phenomenon

through deductive reasoning or formulation of hypothesis for testing. For instance, the

identification of answers to common clinical questions and subsequent guidance to

appropriate decision-making leverages on quantitative research (Indu & Vidhukumar, 2019).

The broad classification of quantitative research methodologies that utilizes numerical

examination of variables are experimental and non-experimental designs. Therefore, it is

imperative to highlight the corresponding examples of designs in the overall classification of

quantitative research.

Experimental designs are common in clinical research. The manipulation of

independent variable to establish impact in the dependent variable highlights experimental

research (Miller et al., 2020). The testing or evaluation of efficacies in therapeutic modalities

often utilizes experimental research. Moreover, randomized-controlled trials are the apparent

example in the experimental research. Study participants are systematically assigned into

treatment or control groups at random. Randomized-controlled trials represent a true-

experimental research design. A quasi-experimental research design lacks randomized

assignment of participants into control and treatment groups (Miller et al., 2020).

Furthermore, the execution or introduction of aspects relating to cause and effect to a group

or subjects under examination may constitute a pre-experimental research (Dhiman et al.,

2022).

Non-experimental researches can take the form of quantitative or qualitative. The

clear distinction between non-experimental and non-experimental researches is the absence of

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manipulation of independent variable in non-experimental studies (Indu & Vidhukumar,

2019). Moreover, the manipulation of control variable is possible in experimental research,

different from non-experimental researches (Miller et al., 2020). Examples of non-

experimental researches include correlational studies that examines the statistical association

between two variables of interest. Moreover, a cross-sectional study that simultaneously

examine exposure and outcome is a non-experimental research common in surveys that

examine the prevalence of common diseases such as hypertension (Indu & Vidhukumar,

2019). Observational studies are also non-experimental researches.

Discussion Questions

Why are randomized-controlled studies preferred in examination of treatment efficacies?

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References

Dhiman, S., Saini, S. K., Chaurasia, S., Duggal, M., Miglani, V., & Raj, S. (2022). A pilot

nurse-led tele-counseling intervention to parents of children with cerebral visual

impairment on adherence to eye activities during COVID-19 pandemic: A Pre-

Experimental Study. Frontiers in medicine, 8, 740265.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.740265

Indu, P. V., & Vidhukumar, K. (2019). Research designs-an overview. Kerala Journal of

Psychiatry, 32(1), 64-67. https://www.kjponline.com/index.php/kjp/article/view/179

Miller, C. J., Smith, S. N., & Pugatch, M. (2020). Experimental and quasi-experimental

designs in implementation research. Psychiatry Research, 283, 112452.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.06.027