Author Question: Describe (a) what methodological features experiments and quasi-experiments have in common and (b) ... (Read 91 times)

clmills979 · **on:** Jul 13, 2018

Describe (a) what methodological features experiments and quasi-experiments have in common and (b) how they differ. Why does this mean that only experimental approaches can result in conclusions about cause and effect?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Identify six ways you minimize the likelihood that satisficing will occur?

What will be an ideal response?

matt95 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 13, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Experiments and quasi-experiments both make use of discrete groups whose behaviors are compared to see if they differ. The designs of experiments and quasi-experiments look alike. In quasi-experiments, however, the investigators don't randomly assign participants to groups; rather, some characteristic of a participants determines group assignment. On the other hand, in experiments, researchers do assign participants to groups randomly. The lack of random assignment means that groups may differ in behavior because of factors other than the IV. Consequently, when the groups differ in quasi-experiments, we don't know if the difference is due to the IV or to some other characteristic common in one group but not the other.

Answer to Question 2

(a) Make questions easily understood
(b) Ask several related questions so the information is more readily accessible to the respondent.
(c) Ask questions about events that occurred close together in time to the critical event.
(d) Ask the respondent to rank a number of alternatives rather than to rate them, when possible; this forces the respondent to consider each item.
(e) Do not give respondents a No Opinion option, making it more likely that they will consider the options you give them.
(f) Keep respondents motivated by establish a positive atmosphere.