The eleven chapter objectives listed in this module are the same as those found in the opening page of Chapter 9 in the textbook. Several learning objectives have been written and listed below to help you focus on specific material that is critical to your being able to demonstrate proficiency on the broader chapter objectives. In addition, multiple choice and essay/activity self-assessment items have been written for most of the learning objectives to help assess your knowledge of this material. You can access these items through the Multiple Choice and Essay/Activity modules.
- Briefly state the purpose of experimental research.
| 1.1 | State the one characteristic that differentiates experimental research from other types of research. |
| 1.2 | Define the terms independent variable and dependent variable. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 1
essay/activity questions for Objective 1
web links for Objective 1
- List the basic steps involved in conducting an experiment.
| 2.1 | Identify the six steps in conducting an experimental study. |
| 2.2 | Differentiate random selection from random assignment. |
| 2.3 | Identify three types of comparisons in experimental research. |
| 2.4 | Describe the differences between an experimental control group design and a comparison group design. |
| 2.5 | Discuss the importance of equivalent groups in experimental research. |
| 2.6 | Identify two problems often encountered in experimental studies in education. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 2
essay/activity questions for Objective 2
- Explain the purpose of control.
| 3.1 | Explain what is meant by the manipulation of the independent variable. |
| 3.2 | Differentiate actively manipulated variables from assigned variables. |
| 3.3 | Explain why control is important in experimental research. |
| 3.4 | Identify two kinds of variables that need to be controlled. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 3
essay/activity questions for Objective 3
web links for Objective 3
- Briefly define or describe internal validity and external validity.
| 4.1 | Define internal validity. |
| 4.2 | Define external validity. |
| 4.3 | Explain the relationship between internal validity and external validity. |
| 4.4 | Explain why the researcher should err on the side of control rather than realism when forced to make choices between external validity and internal validity |
multiple choice questions for Objective 4
essay/activity questions for Objective 4
web links for Objective 4
- Identify and briefly describe eight major threats to the internal validity of an experiment.
| 5.1 | Discuss history as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.2 | Discuss maturation as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.3 | Discuss testing as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.4 | Discuss instrumentation as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.5 | Discuss statistical regression as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.6 | Discuss differential selection of participants as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.7 | Discuss mortality as a threat to internal validity. |
| 5.8 | Discuss selection-maturation interaction as a threat to internal validity. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 5
essay/activity questions for Objective 5
web links for Objective 5
- Identify and briefly describe six major threats to the external validity of an experiment.
| 6.1 | Define population validity. |
| 6.2 | Define ecological validity. |
| 6.3 | Discuss pretest-treatment interaction as a threat to external validity and identify one way to control for it. |
| 6.4 | Discuss multiple-treatment interference as a threat to external validity. |
| 6.5 | Discuss selection-treatment interaction as a threat to external validity. |
| 6.6 | Discuss specificity of variables as a threat to external validity, identify five areas to which the threat applies, and identify two ways to minimize this threat. |
| 6.7 | Discuss treatment diffusion as a threat to external validity. |
| 6.8 | Discuss experimenter effects as a threat to external validity, and differentiate active and passive effects. |
| 6.9 | Discuss reactive effects as threats to external validity and describe the Hawthorne Effect, the John Henry Effect, the placebo effect, and the novelty effect as reactive effects. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 6
web links for Objective 6
- Briefly discuss the purpose of experimental design.
| 7.1 | Explain why extraneous variables must be controlled in experimental design. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 7
essay/activity questions for Objective 7
web links for Objective 7
- Identify and briefly describe five ways to control extraneous variables.
| 8.1 | Explain how randomization contributes to creating representative, equivalent groups. |
| 8.2 | Identify one way to control for environmental variables. |
| 8.3 | Explain how matching controls extraneous variables, and identify two techniques for matching subjects. |
| 8.4 | Explain how using homogeneous groups controls an extraneous variable in experimental research. |
| 8.5 | Explain how using subgroups controls an extraneous variable in experimental research. |
| 8.6 | Explain how subjects can be used as their own controls in experimental research. |
| 8.7 | Explain the purpose of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and describe how it is used to control for extraneous variables in experimental research. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 8
essay/activity questions for Objective 8
web links for Objective 8
- 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 validity.
| 9.1 | Identify the two major categories of experimental designs. |
| 9.2 | List the three types of experimental designs. |
| 9.3 | Identify three pre-experimental designs, diagram each, and discuss why these designs should be avoided. |
| 9.4 | Identify three true experimental designs, diagram each, and discuss the unique characteristics of each. |
| 9.5 | Identify three quasi-experimental designs, diagram each, and discuss the unique characteristics of each. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 9
essay/activity questions for Objective 9
web links for Objective 9
- Briefly define and describe the purpose of a factorial design.
| 10.1 | Describe the unique characteristic of a factorial design. |
| 10.2 | Explain why a factorial design would be used. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 10
essay/activity questions for Objective 10
- Briefly explain what is meant by the term interaction.
| 11.1 | Explain what is meant by an interaction. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 11
essay/activity questions for Objective 11
