Week 03: Topic-03

Research Design

Research Methodologies

Virtual University of Pakistan

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
1. Principle of Replication:

 The experiment should be repeated more than once.

 Thus, each treatment is applied in many experimental
units instead of one.
 By doing so the statistical accuracy of the
experiments is increased.

◦ For example, to find yield of two varieties of cotton then both varieties will be
applied to more than one experimental units.
 Varity A will be grown in Field A and Varity B will be grown in Field B
 In replication:
 Varity A will be grown in Field C and Varity B will be grown in Field D
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
2. Principle of Randomization:

 Is a random process of assigning treatments to the

experimental units.
 The random process implies that every possible
allotment of treatments has the same probability.
◦ If there are wheat varieties and three fields
◦ You randomly assign the each variety to field and repeat
experiment four times
◦ There are chances that the affect of extraneous variable
(nature of field) is minimized.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
3. Principle of Local Control:

 Replication and randomization do not reduce the

affect of extraneous variables.
 Thus experimental design should be made such that
the result is a balanced arrangement of the
treatments.
◦ Three varieties, Three fields, Three replications
◦ Assign each variety to different field in each replication
Summary
 Basic Principles of experimental designs