Experimental Method

Experiments are conducted specifically to establish a cause-effect relationship between two sets of events or variables, under carefully controlled conditions. In an experiment, changes are deliberately introduced in one factor and their effect on another factor is observed, while every other related factor is held constant. The factor that is deliberately changed or manipulated is called the cause; the behaviour that changes as a result of that manipulation is called the effect. The sub-sections below explain the key building blocks of an experiment: the idea of a variable, how experimental and control groups are used to isolate cause from effe …