EXPERIMENTAL AND NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN 2

Experimental and Non-Experimental Research Design

Experimental and non-experimental research designs are common design methods
employed in nursing research. An understanding of their basics is key to determining the types of
research topics that the design methods are most suited for.
Experimental research involves division of research participants into control and
experimental group. The assignment of the participants into the two groups is done randomly.
Unlike the control group, the experimental group receives treatment. Thus, experimental research
design involves manipulation of variables. It also has very strict levels of control. Due to these
factors, experimental research is used to establish evidence of cause and effect (Pattern &
Newhart, 2017). At the end of an experimental research the researcher can conclude with high
degree of confidence that X causes Y. An example of experimental research design is research
into causes of chest pain. At the end of such research, the researcher will able to provide various
factors that contribute to chest pains. Research done in the laboratory is also mostly experimental
research.
Unlike experimental research, non-experimental research design is correlational or
descriptive in nature (Reio, 2016). This means that it either describes a relationship between
variables or describes a phenomenon or situation as it currently stands. The research does not
manipulate any variables. There is also no control within the research. The researcher simply
observes a situation and interprets it (Reio, 2016). An example of non-experimental research is
research into factors that contribute to teenage pregnancies among ethnic minorities.

EXPERIMENTAL AND NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN 3
Given these differences, it is clear that experimental design is suitable for research whose
objective is to establish causes for given phenomenon. Non-experimental design, on the other
hand, is applicable for research that simply seeks to describe or interpret a given situation.

References

Patten, M. L., & Newhart, M. (2017). Understanding research methods: An overview of the
essentials. Routledge.
Reio Jr, T. G. (2016). Nonexperimental research: Strengths, weaknesses and issues of
precision. European Journal of Training and Development, 40(8/9), 676-690.