Publication: The use of multi comparison groups in quasi-experimental designs
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2008-11
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Abstract
The use of control groups in experimental designs allows the researcher to determine whether a treatment has had an effect or whether one treatment is more effective than another. This is particularly the case for medical and psychological research. However, the use of 'intact classes' in educational research, resulting in the cases of quasi-experimental design, control groups pose a number of threats to the internal validity of such designs. This paper discusses the issues of such designs and the related threats, and proposes a design which incorporates instead suitable use of multiple 'comparison groups' in such designs from the perspective of a study on the mathematical learning and achievement of lower secondary students using metacognitive strategies. It will also be shown how such a use of multiple 'comparison groups' allows for a more cautious and reliable basis for acceptance and rejection of hypotheses, thus providing a way of examining common threats to the internal validity of such studies.
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This paper was presented at the Asia-Pacific Education Research Association (APERA) Conference, held in Singapore from 26 – 28 Nov 2008
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Lee, N. H., Chang, A. S. C., & Lee, P. Y. (2008, November). The use of multi comparison groups in quasi-experimental designs [Paper presentation]. Asia-Pacific Education Research Association (APERA) Conference, Singapore.