Lauren is selecting her control group to be similar to her experimental group except for one key factor. What method is Lauren using?

Lauren is selecting her control group to be similar to her experimental group except for one key factor. What method is Lauren using?

• A. Matching
• B. Holding constant
• C. Statistical adjustment
• D. Randomization

Answer: (A)

Lauren is utilizing the matching method for her control group selection. This approach involves ensuring that the control group is similar to the experimental group in all relevant aspects, except for the one key factor being studied. By matching participants based on characteristics that may influence the outcome, such as age, gender, or socioeconomic status, Lauren can isolate the effect of the independent variable. This helps control for confounding variables that might otherwise skew the results, thereby strengthening the validity of her experimental conclusions. Matching is particularly useful in scenarios where randomization may not be feasible or ethical, allowing researchers to draw more robust comparisons between the two groups.

Lauren is utilizing the matching method for her control group selection. This approach involves ensuring that the control group is similar to the experimental group in all relevant aspects, except for the one key factor being studied. By matching participants based on characteristics that may influence the outcome, such as age, gender, or socioeconomic status, Lauren can isolate the effect of the independent variable. This helps control for confounding variables that might otherwise skew the results, thereby strengthening the validity of her experimental conclusions. Matching is particularly useful in scenarios where randomization may not be feasible or ethical, allowing researchers to draw more robust comparisons between the two groups.