A researcher administers a standardized test to the students in a school testing a new program as well as to students in a similar school as a control group. To what extent is comparison of the average scores for the two groups of students useful for determining the effects of the program?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While comparison of the average scores for the two groups of students can provide some initial insight, there are many threats to validity with this design. Without random assignment to groups and other controls, it is difficult to determine with confidence that any differences in test scores are solely due to the new program and not something else (such as differences in student populations). This type of study is more of a pilot or exploratory study and more rigorous experimental designs are needed to establish causality.

A Researcher Administers a Standardized Test to the Students in a School