Unit 10: Experiments, Evaluation Research and Single Subject Research

Note: This is a 2 week unit with 1 homework assignment, due during the second week. Try to do the reading as early as possible.

Goals for Evaluation Research:

Be able to explain the types of topics that are appropriate for evaluation research.

Be able to propose specific outcome measures given a general set of goals.

Understand the issues involved in specifying interventions and developing interventions related to outcome goals.

Be able to give a reasoned opinion about whether a given intervention is appropriate for a given goal.

Be able to explain the strengths and weaknesses of various research designs (experiments, quasi-experiments, trend analysis, case studies, social indicators analysis) for evaluation research.

Understand the political and other challenges of evaluation research for both the carrying out of the research and use of the results.

Be able to design a basic evaluation.

Goals for Experiments:

Understand Randomization.

Be able to list and define 12 threats to internal validity.

Be able to explain how experimental design deals with threats to internal validity.

Be able to explain the problem of threats to external validity.

Understand and be able to explain the concept of control group

Understand the idea of manipulation of a variable.

Be able to determine whether a given design is a true experiment or not.

Understand the idea of a trend.

Goals for Single Subject Research Design

Be able to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of single-subject design

Be able to explain the potential ethical problems involved in single-subject design.

Be able to explain the stages of observation in single-subject design.

Be able to explain the role of single-subject research for practioners.

Return to the schedule or the Research Methods Homepage.