An experimenter is interested in the influence of taking a one-semester-long test preparation course on performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). She contacts high school students who have and who have not taken the course and compares their scores on the SAT exam. She finds that the students who have taken the course score significantly higher on the test. The research design is

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The research design is a comparison-group design because it involves comparing two groups of participants (those who have taken the test preparation course and those who have not) on their performance on the SAT. There is no manipulation of variables or assignment to conditions by the experimenter, which distinguishes it from an experimental design. Additionally, there is no before-and-after measurement for the same group, which rules out the before-after designs.

An Experimenter Is Interested in the Influence of Taking a One-Semester-Long