EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

Research Methods: Experimental Research



Research Methods: Experimental Research

Introduction

The experimental research involves set of activities and techniques that are performed to obtain information and data for investigating the issue and underlying prospects. In experimental research methods, investigator manipulates variables of the study to control to determine the impact on dependent variables. Changes in the controlled and latent variables enable the researcher to determine the impact on the observed behaviors.

In experimental researches, the researcher deliberately handles the experimental variable and observes what happens under controlled conditions. Experimentation is the voluntary repetition of the phenomena to verify proposed hypothesis (Bernard, 2006). Experimental manipulation of a variable is done to observe the implications of a particular factor in controlled and uncontrolled conditions to illustrate the fundamental causes of changes in a particular situation or event (Jackson, 2008). The experimental research approach intends to include human and natural phenomena for explaining the demonstration. It allows the researcher to explain and understand the world in which we live.

Components of Experimental Research

There are two components of experimental researches. These include segregation of participants in two groups that include controlled group and focus group. Controlled group passes through extensive testing phase; however, focus group participants do not pass through such experiments. Instead, they do not influence by the external factors that help in examining the desired results. Once experiment is completed, results of both focus groups and controlled group participants are compared to determine the influence of study variable on dependent characteristics (Bernard, 2006).

Researcher compares the final characteristics of both group and then determines the effect of the experiment. If a significant difference exists between results, researcher examines the hypothesis and run the experiment again. The difficulty in achieving uniformity of features in the experimental sample, control and precision require increasing the validity of experimental research by achieving similar results in other experimental tests.

Process of Research Method

In experimental researches, researcher observes the controlled behavior in an actual or simulated environment. There are six steps that explain the comprehensive process of an experimental research. These include:

Delineate and define the subject of the inquiry or problem.

Working hypothesis and propositions development

Development of experimental design (defining controlled and focus groups)

Conducting experiment

Results analysis

Deriving Conclusions

Experimental research begins by clearly defining the objectives of the experiment. It involves identification of independent variables, the dependent constant parameters and the precision required in measuring the variables (Jackson, 2008). In order to conduct an experimental research, it is essential to define what type of work needs to be performed.

Considering the nature of problems and influential impact of controlled variables on the dependent variable, experimental model is developed. This model defines the approach or testing method that will be used to examine the controlled behavior groups responses and focus groups responses by stimulating under a situation (Jackson, 2008). Experimental model provides quantitative results that help in determining the effectiveness of the results. However, substantial deviation may occur when the concept is applied to the general population. Therefore, accuracy of the experimental design involves segregating the population characteristics with ...