What makes nonexperimental research correlational is that it
A) computes a correlation between two variables
B) requires a scattergram of two variables for interpretation
C) determines a cause-effect relationship between two variables
D) does not manipulate an independent variable

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nonexperimental research does not involve manipulation of an independent variable, which is what makes it correlational. Option A is not entirely accurate since not all nonexperimental research computes a correlation between two variables, although it may involve examining relationships between variables. Option B is also not entirely accurate since a scattergram is not a requirement for nonexperimental research, although it may be used to visualize the data. Finally, option C is incorrect because nonexperimental research cannot determine a cause-effect relationship.

What Makes Nonexperimental Research Correlational Is That It