Rigorously controlled, replicable (that is, repeatable) procedure in which the researcher manipulates variables to assess the effect of one on the other. (17)
A test under defined conditions to determine an unknown effect; to illustrate or verify a known law; to test or establish a hypothesis.
Experiments test whether one factor causes another by randomly assigning participants to control groups and experimental groups. To see if a certain type of plant needs sunlight to grow, a researcher divides 10 of the plants into two groups of 5: an experimental group that sits in the sun, and a control group that sits in the dark. In order to prove that the difference in plant growth was not caused by initial differences in the two groups of plants, the researcher gives each of the ten plants a number 1 to 10, has a computer arbitrarily clump the numbers into 2 groups, then flips a coin to see which group will be the experimental group.
A collection of equipment (hardware, software, specimens, etc.) and associated processes which are used to achieve specific scientific, technological, or commercial objectives.
A study in which the investigator manipulates one (or more than one) variable (the independent variable) to determine its effect on the research participant's response (the dependent variable).
a test, a trial, a tentative procedure, an effort to test an idea
A procedure for making an observation which will be consistent with only one of two or more theories.
A research method for testing causal hypotheses in which variables are both measured and manipulated. go to glossary index
A carefully controlled artificial situation that allows researchers to isolate hypothesized causes and measure their effects precisely.
The observation of phenomena under selective and controlled conditions.
Procedure a scientist uses to study some phenomenon under known conditions. Scientists conduct some experiments in the laboratory and others in nature. The resulting scientific data or facts must be verified or confirmed by repeated observations and measurements, ideally by several different investigators.
A test or trial taken to demonstrate or discover something. ( Webster's , 1990)
The most powerful research technique for determining causal relationships, requiring the manipulation of an independent variable, the measurement of a dependent variable, and the random assignment of participants to the several different conditions being investigated.
A controlled investigation designed to evaluate the outcomes of causal manipulations on some system of interest.
A research method involving a carefully designed situation in which the researcher studies the impact of certain variables on subjects' attitudes or behaviour.
A scientific method in which particular factors are manipulated while other factors are held constant so that the potential influences of the manipulated factors can be determined.
a carefully controlled, repeatable procedure for gathering data to test a hypothesis. (see control)
A test carried out under scientific methods and protocols to collect data for study.
a trial carried out in order to test a theory or to discover something unknown [Lat experimentum, from experiri, to try
a statistical experiment is a repeatable activity or process for which each repetition gives rise to exactly one outcome, drawn from the sample space; a simple experiment gives rise to univariate data on the outcome of each trial (e.g. the observed face of a die). The number of trials observed is the sample size n.
to test an idea by making a measurement
the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation
the testing of an idea; "it was an experiment in living"; "not all experimentation is done in laboratories"
to conduct a test or investigation; "We are experimenting with the new drug in order to fight this disease"
a contrived situation that allows a researcher to manipulate one or more variables whilst controlling all of the others and measuring the resultant effects on some independent variable
a contrived situation that tests the hypothesis
a controlled exploration trying to answer a question of interest, usually about a hypothesis
a controlled situation created by a researcher to test the validity of a hypothesis
a controlled study that uses random assignment to control for all variables, except the independent variable being manipulated by the researcher
a failure only when it also fails adequately to test the hypothesis in question, when the data it produces don't prove anything one way or another
a form of quantitative research that tests causal relationships
a highly controlled and documented test of the hypothesis
a method by which observations are made
a method used in Psychology and the social sciences that allows for testing causal hypotheses - better than any other method (such as standard surveys, correlational observations, archival research, ethnography etc
a multidisciplimar, international research effort, designed to create new knowledge to understand the Climatological, Ecological, Biogeochemical and Hidrologic functioning of Amazonia
an act for which the outcome is uncertain
an act of observation that leads to a single outcome that cannot be predicted with certainty
an exercise in which a series of events (reproducing the previously observed phenomena) are allowed to systematically unfold until a predicted outcome is reliably and repeatedly achieved
an international research initiative led by Brazil
an investigation where the independent variable is manipulated
an organized procedure designed to test an hypothesis, about which we are in doubt, by observation of the resulting consequences
a procedure for collecting scientific data in order to answer a hypothesis, or to provide material for generating new hypotheses, and differs from a survey because the scientist has control over the treatments that can be applied
a procedure in which a scientist carefully arranges to observe some kind of behavior of nature
a process by which a researcher poses a question, formulates a potential explanation of that particular problem or question and then conducts a series of data collection to either prove or disprove
a process whose outcome is not known in advance with certainty
a question by which scientists try to wrestle answers from nature
a question that we ask of the environment
a question which science poses to Nature, and a measurement is the recording of Nature's answer
a representative anecdote offered as substantiation of a (scientific) hypothesis (the latter is in turn, offered as substantiation for priorly reported anecdotes
a scientific test to test a theory or hypothesis
a series of observations carried out under special conditions
a series of observations made under conditions controlled by the scientist
a series of tests or trials to prove or disprove a hypothesis using the scientific method
a set of manipulations or specific observations of nature
a situation involving probability that leads to outcomes
a situation so arranged that the material that is being observed provides by its very behaviour its own answer to the question that is being posed
a study in which the investigator intentionally alters one or more factors under controlled conditions to study the effects of doing so
a way to test a hypothesis to see if it can be disproved
a way to test a hypothesis under controlled conditions
a test or trial to discover something unknown.
A study in which the investigator performs some intervention.
A method of research which permits the inference of cause and effect. At least two groups of subjects are treated exactly alike in all ways except one, the independent variable. Differences in the behaviour of the Experimental and Control group which cannot be accounted for by experimental error are then attributed to the effect of the experimental treatment.
An action that has various outcomes that occur unpredictably and can be repeated indefinitely under the same conditions.
Experimental Research A researcher working within this methodology creates an environment in which to observe and interpret the results of a research question. A key element in experimental research is that participants in a study are randomly assigned to groups. In an attempt to create a causal model (i.e., to discover the causal origin of a particular phenomenon), groups are treated differently and measurements are conducted to determine if different treatments appear to lead to different effects.
An organized way to learn about health and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and other medical conditions. For example, investigators might conduct an experiment to compare a less invasive surgical procedure (the experimental intervention) with the standard, more invasive surgical procedure (the standard intervention) to see if the less invasive procedure is as safe and effective as the standard procedure.
smallest unit of activity or task with detailed protocol setting out hypotheses, background and work plans
1. A controlled test or investigation. 2. Trying out new procedures, ideas, or activities.
A test to disprove a hypothesis. 21
A study undertaken in which the researcher has control over some of the conditions in which the study takes place and control over some aspects of the independent variables being studied. Random assignment of the subjects to control and experimental groups is usually thought of as a necessary criterion of a true experiment. For example, if you interviewed moviegoers as they exited a theater to see if what they saw influenced their attitudes, this would not be experimental research; you had no control over who the subjects were or what film they watched or the conditions under which they watched it. On the other hand, if you chose a room, a film, and subjects to assign randomly to control and experimental groups and interviewed these subjects about the effects of the film on their attitudes, that would be an experiment.
testing under controlled conditions.
a set of controlled conditions developed to test a question.
A type of research in which a researcher randomly assigns people to two or more conditions, varies the treatments that people in each condition are given, and then measures the effect on some response.
A form of research that can demonstrate causal relationships because (1) the experimenter has control over the events that occur and (2) participants are randomly assigned to conditions.
A type of research in which one or more elements of a retail strategy mix are manipulated under controlled conditions.
A set of manipulations or observations of nature designed to test an hypothesis. Experiments are designed with expected outcomes in mind, assuming the hypothesis is correct.
In our context, a physical scientific experiment such as the controlled manipulaton of cells in order to make precise observations or measurements of their properties. To keep the distinction clear, we avoid speaking of a "numerical experiment", preferring "computer simulation" instead. The output of an experiment is experimental data.
Trial or test procedure to discover something unknown
A test under controlled conditions that is made to determine how something in nature works.
The process of conducting a test.
A test carried out under controlled conditions.
The outcome of the experiment was similar to the hypothesis.
a series of actions carried out to test a theory, demonstrate a fact or find out what happens
A planned inquiry to obtain new facts or to confirm or refute results of previous work. Such an inquiry will aid in decision making, recommending of new processes, procedures, plant varieties, and so on. This type of research sets the circumstances and is controlled by the researcher.
an experiment is a controlled situation, usually set up to test the relationship between variables. Can be used more loosely, for example, as in action research to describe interventions in situations where it is impossible to control all the variables - what happens if I do x
A set of controlled procedures designed to test an idea or hypothesis. For example, a flight simulation engineer will design an experiment to test whether or not a pilot can control an airplane with a new wing design.
A test based on socially agreed upon research methods.
an activity designed to test a possible solution to a scientific question or problem
Research to determine how factors respond when changes are made in one or more variables, or conditions.
An action or process carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown effect or law, to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law.
In the scientific method, an experiment (Latin: ex-+-periri, "of (or from) trying"), is a set of and observations, performed in the context of solving a particular problem or question, to support or falsify a hypothesis or research concerning phenomena. The experiment is a cornerstone in the empirical approach to acquiring deeper knowledge about the physical world.