The difference between an experiment and an observational study is that
A) observational studies don't have explanatory and response variables.
B) experiments don't have placebos.
C) an experiment imposes treatments on subjects, while an observational study accepts existing treatments.
D) experiments are double-blind, while observational studies are only single-blind.
E) All of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option C is the correct answer. It correctly differentiates between an experiment and an observational study. An experiment imposes treatments on subjects, while an observational study accepts existing treatments. Option A is incorrect because both experiments and observational studies have explanatory and response variables. Option B is incorrect because experiments can have placebos. Option D is incorrect because the blinding type may vary in both experiments and observational studies. Option E is incorrect because none of the options are entirely correct.

The Difference Between an Experiment and an Observational Study Is