A quasi-experimental design would be preferred to a true experimental design when you
A) have a continuous rather than a categorical independent variable.
B) cannot manipulate your independent variable.
C) are using pre-existing groupings of people (such as classrooms in a school) for your experimental and control groups.
D) want to control for demand characteristics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A quasi-experimental design is used when random assignment is not possible or practical, such as when using pre-existing groups as experimental and control groups. Choice A is not correct because a continuous independent variable can be used in a true experimental design. Choice B is not correct because the ability to manipulate the independent variable is a requirement of a true experimental design. Choice D is not necessarily true, as demand characteristics can be controlled for in both quasi-experimental and true experimental designs.

A Quasi-Experimental Design Would Be Preferred to a True Experimental