Lesson Topic:

 Experimental Research
Objectives:
  1. Briefly state the purpose of experimental research;
  2. List the basic steps involved in conducting an experiment;
  3. Explain the purpose of control;
  4. Briefly define or describe internal validity and external validity;
  5. Identify and briefly describe eight major threats to the internal validity of an experiment;
  6. Identify and briefly describe six major threats to the external validity of an experiment;
  7. Briefly discuss the purpose of experimental design;
  8. Identify and briefly describe five ways to control extraneous variables (and you’d better not leave out randomization!);
  9. For each of the pre-experimental, true experimental, and quasi-experimental group designs discussed in this chapter, (1) draw a diagram, (2) list the steps involved in its application, and (3) identify major problems of invalidity;
  10. Briefly define and describe the purpose of a factorial design;
  11. Briefly explain what is meant by the term interaction;
  12. Briefly describe the procedures involved in using a multiple-baseline design;
  13. Briefly describe an alternating treatments design;
  14. For each of the A-B-A single-subject designs discussed in this chapter, (1) draw a diagram, (2) list the steps involved in its application, and (3) identify major problems with which it is associated; and
  15. Briefly describe three types of replication involved in single-subject research.

 

Activities:

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  1. Read Chapter 9 & 10 - Causal Comparative & Experimental Research
  2. Because of the short nature of this project, there will be no Blackboard Discussion Post this week.
  3. Complete this Extraneous Variable Worksheet and bring it to class with you. .
  4. Here is your assignment sheet for the Experimental Project. Read it carefully, it will be your guide to the project.
  5. Watch this Viewlet on how to analyze and report your data for the correlation project.
  6. The following are samples of papers submitted by students in the past. My marks and grading system are included. Feel free to utilize them as examples of what and what not to do.