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For each of the scenarios below, determine whether the researcher is conducting an experimental study or a non-intervention study

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For each of the scenarios below, determine whether the researcher is conducting an experimental study or a non-intervention study. If it is experimental, decide whether it is a true experiment or a quasi-experiment. If it is a quasi-experiment, describe both the limitations of the design and the changes required for it to qualify as a true experiment.

a. A researcher randomly assigned 120 students to four treatment groups in an effort to learn more about how different types of studying (the treatment) influence achievement.

b. A researcher randomly selected 100 teachers from a large school district and divided them into two groups:

those with a master’s degree and those without one. Then the researcher assessed their level of multicultural awareness to see if it was related to their educational attainment.

c. A researcher formed three groups of parents:

those who demonstrated a parenting style that included a strong emphasis on developing autonomy, a weak emphasis on developing autonomy, and no emphasis on developing autonomy. Then he measured the children’s self-esteem and achievement motivation to see if they were linked to the different parenting styles.

d. A researcher recruited 200 volunteer college students who were self-reported to be test anxious. A random half was instructed on the use of meditation prior to exams; the other half was not (they merely served as a control and were provided with meditation training after the study was over). Students’ anxiety level was assessed after the training just prior to final exams.

e. Identical twins were observed in a study of the influence of college on people’s overall   satisfaction with life. Fifty twins were located who satisfied this requirement:

One twin from each pair graduated from a four-year college and the other twin never attended college. The researcher then compared the two groups on a measure of their overall happiness.

f. A researcher studied the number of math and science teachers who graduated from state-supported colleges and universities. In an attempt to increase this rate, a special program was implemented that provided partial tuition payment for teachers in training for math and science positions. The researcher compared the trend before and after the implementation to determine whether the program accomplished its goal.

g. A researcher studied how students’ sleepiness after lunch is affected by varying types of illumination (fluorescent, incandescent, and halogen lighting) in a study hall. All the students were observed under each condition in a counterbalanced design.

h. A researcher investigated how students’ attitudes and achievement are affected by pop quizzes. Three randomized groups were formed:

pop quiz twice a week, pop quiz once every two weeks, and no pop quizzes.

i. A researcher studied the influence of class size on reading achievement by arranging for all second graders in a district to be in classes of no larger than 15 students. The researcher compared end-of-year reading achievement in the size 15 classes with similar classes in another district, all with sizes between 20 and 25.