3.2

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and details regarding experimental design and clinical trials.

Experimental units

Individuals upon which experiments are done; called subjects if animals and participants if human.

Treatment

A specific experimental condition applied to the experimental units.

Randomized trial

A study design where participants are randomly assigned to different treatments.

Control group

The group of patients who do not receive treatment after surgery.

Placebo effect

A beneficial effect observed in patients that is attributable to their expectations rather than the treatment.

Response variable

The outcome that is measured in an experiment, such as the 5-year survival rate in a clinical trial.

Randomization

The use of chance to assign experimental units to treatment groups to reduce bias.

Statistically significant

An observed effect so large that it would rarely occur by chance.

Completely randomized design (CRD)

An experimental design where all experimental units are allocated at random among all treatments.

Triple blind trial

A trial in which the participants, medical staff, and statistician conducting the data analysis do not know the treatment assignments.

Matched pairs design

A design that uses pairs of similar experimental units for treatment allocation.

Block design

A design that groups experimental units known to be similar before random assignment to treatments.

R. A. Fisher

Pioneer of the concept of randomization in agricultural field trials.

Comparative experiment

An experiment designed to compare two or more treatments or conditions.

Sham treatment

A placebo treatment that is administered to mimic a real treatment.