A quasi-experimental research design would be preferable to an experimental design in which of these situations?
A) A smaller sample size is sufficient to obtain significant results.
B) Demonstration of a cause-and-effect relationship is the desired outcome.
C) Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the data.
D) Data will need to be collected in a real-world setting.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A quasi-experimental research design would be preferable to an experimental design when data needs to be collected in a real-world setting. In quasi-experimental designs, the researcher does not have control over the assignment of participants to treatment and control groups, which can be more feasible in real-world settings. In contrast, experimental designs require random assignment of participants to groups, which may not always be feasible or ethical in real-world settings. Therefore, quasi-experimental designs can provide valuable information about cause-and-effect relationships in situations where experimental designs are not feasible.
Option A is incorrect because the choice of research design is not based on the sample size, but on the feasibility of random assignment of participants to groups.
Option B is incorrect because demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships is the desired outcome of both experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
Option C is also incorrect because both experimental and quasi-experimental designs can use descriptive statistics to analyze data.

A Quasi-Experimental Research Design Would Be Preferable to an Experimental