experimental design

experimental design

[eksper′imen′təl]

Etymology: L, experimentum + designare, to mark out

(in research) a study design used to test cause-and-effect relationships between variables. The classic experimental design specifies an experimental group and a control group. The independent variable is administered to the experimental group and not to the control group, and both groups are measured on the same dependent variable. Subsequent experimental designs have used more groups and more measurements over longer periods. True experiments must have control, randomization, and manipulation.

---

experimental

emanating from or pertaining to experiment.

---

experimental animals

animals kept expressly for the purposes of conducting experiments on them. Called also laboratory animals.

experimental design

the method of allocating experimental units to treatment groups in an experiment; many complicated and sophisticated designs are available, e.g. balanced, unbalanced, crossover, factorial, randomized, non-random, split-plot.

experimental epidemiology

the study of changes effected in populations by changes made in the factors affecting their performance, behavior or health.

experimental model

experiment carried out using a model of a real system which contains some of the risk factors which apply in the real state; the model is a simplification of real life.

experimental study

a study in which all of the risk factors are under the direct control of the investigator.