Chapter Eight. Experiments
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TOPICS APPROPRIATE TO EXPERIMENTS
THE CLASSICAL EXPERIMENT
Independent and Dependent Variables
Pretesting and Posttesting
Experimental and Control Groups
The Double-Blind Experiment
SELECTING SUBJECTS
Probability Sampling
Randomization
Matching
Matching or Randomization?
VARIATIONS ON EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Preexperimental Research Designs
Validity Issues in Experimental Research
AN ILLUSTRATION OF EXPERIMENTATION
"NATURAL" EXPERIMENTS
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL METHOD