control experiment
Unchanged test group
A control experiment is a scientific test designed to isolate the effect of a single variable by comparing outcomes with and without that variable present.
The control group receives no treatment or intervention, providing a baseline against which to measure results: The control experiment showed the drug was effective—patients who received it recovered faster than those who didn't.
Inactive therapeutic substitute
- randomizationIntroducing chance systematically
- blindingPainfully intense light
- double-blindNeither tester nor tested knows
- single-blindPartially concealed experimental design
protocol · study design · treatment group · crossover · sample size · variables · hypothesis · replication
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- reproducibilityAbility to repeat findings
- repeatabilityCapacity for consistent duplication
- consistencyReliable adherence to standards
accuracy · precision · validity · rigor · robustness · integrity · verification · falsifiability
Standard for comparison
- placebo effectHealing through expectation
- interventionPurposeful involvement to change course
- efficacyAbility to produce results
- statistical significanceUnlikely due to chance
p-value · variables · null hypothesis · causation · correlation · benchmark · differential · variance
Permission given with understanding
- participantsThose actively involved
- subjectsAreas of study
- blindingPainfully intense light
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
debriefing · equipoise · vulnerable populations · risk-benefit · autonomy · beneficence
placebo
Inactive therapeutic substitute
- randomizationIntroducing chance systematically
- blindingPainfully intense light
- double-blindNeither tester nor tested knows
single-blind · protocol · study design · treatment group · crossover · sample size · variables · hypothesis · replication · standardization
bias
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- reproducibilityAbility to repeat findings
- repeatabilityCapacity for consistent duplication
consistency · accuracy · precision · validity · rigor · robustness · integrity · verification · falsifiability · systematic error
baseline
Standard for comparison
- placebo effectHealing through expectation
- interventionPurposeful involvement to change course
- efficacyAbility to produce results
statistical significance · p-value · variables · null hypothesis · causation · correlation · benchmark · differential · variance
informed consent
Permission given with understanding
- participantsThose actively involved
- subjectsAreas of study
- blindingPainfully intense light
deception · debriefing · equipoise · vulnerable populations · risk-benefit · autonomy · beneficence
control, experiment, controls, controlled, controlling, controller, controllable, uncontrollable, experiments