A control group and an experimental group are both important components of an experiment. The control group is a group that does not receive any changes or interventions and serves as a baseline for comparison. On the other hand, the experimental group is the group that receives the specific intervention or manipulation being tested in the experiment.
To better understand the difference, let's go through the process of conducting an experiment:
1. Define the research question: Identify the goal of your experiment and what you want to investigate.
2. Determine the independent variable: This is the factor or condition that you want to manipulate or change in the experiment. It is also known as the potential cause.
3. Identify the dependent variable: This is the response or measure of the results that you will be observing or measuring. It is the outcome that you expect to be influenced by the independent variable.
4. Control extraneous variables: Extraneous variables are other factors that could potentially affect the dependent variable. These variables should be controlled or kept constant between the experimental and control groups to ensure that any differences observed are due to the independent variable and not other factors.
5. Assign participants to groups: Divide the participants or subjects into two or more groups. One group will be the control group, and the others will be experimental groups.
6. Apply the intervention: The experimental group(s) will receive the specific intervention or manipulation related to the independent variable. This could involve administering a treatment, providing a different environment, or changing something in the participants' routine.
7. Maintain the control group: The control group, on the other hand, does not receive any changes or interventions. It is kept under the same conditions as much as possible to provide a baseline for comparison.
8. Observe and measure the dependent variable: Throughout the experiment, the dependent variable is observed and measured in both the control and experimental groups. This allows you to evaluate the effect of the independent variable by comparing the results between the two groups.
9. Analyze and interpret the data: After collecting the data, statistical analysis is performed to determine whether there are significant differences between the control and experimental groups in terms of the dependent variable. The results will help you draw conclusions about the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
In summary, the control group is the group that remains unchanged to provide a basis for comparison, while the experimental group is the group that receives the specific intervention being tested. By having a control group, researchers can isolate and attribute any observed effects to the independent variable, allowing for more accurate and reliable conclusions to be drawn.