Experimental Design Part 2

These flashcards cover important concepts in experimental design, including various types of study designs, methods to reduce bias, and key statistical considerations.

Manipulative Study Design

An experimental approach where specific factors, such as diet, are changed to measure their effect on an outcome, like cholesterol levels.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, used for comparison against the treatment group.

Treatment Group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment or intervention being tested.

Randomisation

The process of assigning subjects to groups in a study so that each subject has an equal chance of being assigned to any group.

Blinding

A method used in experiments where participants do not know which group they are assigned to in order to prevent bias.

Double Blinding

A study design where both the participants and the researchers do not know which participants are receiving the treatment to reduce bias.

Pseudoreplication

The use of related subjects, such as family members or genetic clones, in statistical analysis that can lead to misleading conclusions.

Sample Size

The number of subjects included in a study, which is crucial for ensuring the reliability and validity of study results.

Statistical Power

The probability that a study will detect an effect when there is an effect to be detected; often related to sample size.

Effect Size

A quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon, often used to determine the strength of the relationship between variables.

Covariate

A variable that is accounted for in the analysis to reduce confounding effects.

Within-Subject Design

A research design in which the same participants are exposed to all conditions in the experiment.

Batch Effect

Variability in data that is due to differences in experimental conditions rather than true biological differences.

Observational Study

A type of research design that involves observing subjects in their natural environment without manipulation.

Ethical Considerations

Moral implications in research regarding subjects' treatment and the consequences of the study.

Pilot Study

A small-scale preliminary study conducted to test feasibility, time, cost, and adverse events involved in a research design.