Advantages and Disadvantages of Experimental Research

Experimental research is the often used research design by various scientists and researchers. This helps the researcher in controlling all the external or internal factors that might affect the result of the experiment or study. In an experimental research the dependent variable is held constant and all other independent variables are manipulated to observe the effect. Experimental research is often conducted when there is great correlation and time priority and consistency are in a casual relationship. A typical experimental research is conducted to study or predict the phenomenon’s. It is used to identify the casual relationships which cannot be studied by other methods. Some of the types of experimental research can be field experiment, natural experiment; laboratory experiment etc. Experiment research is frequently used by researchers in the fields of social sciences, medicine, chemistry etc.

The advantages and disadvantages of experimental research can be subjective.

Advantages

• Unwanted extraneous variables can be eliminated.
• Researchers have the ability to change experiment or independent variables.
• This method can be combined with other methods of research.

Disadvantages

• Extraneous variables elimination might not be possible every time.
• There is a scope for biasness.
• The experiment may not be objective as there is a change in variables.
• Can lead to or produce artificial results.
• Sample might not be representative always.
• Subject to human errors as humans perform the experiments.

Experimental research has various kinds of group designs. The true experimental research is one kind where the researcher manipulates the independent variable and also assigns work to individuals. In quasi experimental research control and treatment are assigned randomly to groups. In causal comparative research the independent variable is not manipulated and groups are formed before itself.