Looking to Quasi-experimental designs, briefly describe how this design works and then list the three major types of quasi experimental designs.

1 answer

Quasi-experimental designs are research designs that resemble experimental designs but do not include random assignment of participants to different groups. Instead, participants are assigned to groups based on pre-existing characteristics or conditions. Quasi-experimental designs are used in situations where random assignment is not feasible or ethical.

The three major types of quasi-experimental designs are:

1. One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design: In this design, a single group of participants is measured before and after an intervention or treatment. The research aims to determine if there is a change in the participants' behavior or attitude after the intervention. However, since there is no comparison group, it is difficult to definitively attribute any observed changes to the intervention alone.

2. Nonequivalent Group Design: In this design, two or more groups are compared, but there is no random assignment of participants. The groups may differ in terms of pre-existing characteristics or conditions. The researcher measures the groups before and after an intervention to assess any differences in outcomes. However, the lack of randomization raises concerns about potential confounding variables.

3. Time-Series Design: This design involves multiple measurements of a single group before and after an intervention. The researcher collects data over a period of time to assess whether there is a trend or change in the dependent variable. Time-series designs enable the researcher to analyze patterns and potential causal relationships, but the absence of a control group can limit the ability to determine causality.