Observational study

In fields such as epidemiology, social sciences, psychology and statistics, an observational study draws inferences from a sample to a population where the independent variable is not under the control of the researcher. One common observational study is about the possible effect of a treatment on subjects, where the assignment of subjects into a treated group versus a control group is outside the control of the investigator. This is in contrast with experiments, such as randomized controlled trials, where each subject is randomly assigned to a treated group or a control group.

Weaknesses

The independent variable may be beyond the control of the investigator for a variety of reasons:

A randomized experiment would violate ethical standards. Suppose one wanted to investigate the abortion – breast cancer hypothesis, which postulates a causal link between induced abortion and the incidence of breast cancer. In a hypothetical controlled experiment, one would start with a large subject pool of pregnant women and divide them randomly into a treatment group (receiving induced abortions) and a control group (not receiving abortions), and then conduct regular cancer screenings for women from both groups. Needless to say, such an experiment would run counter to common ethical principles. (It would also suffer from various confounds and sources of bias, e.g.,it would be impossible to conduct it as a blind experiment.) The published studies investigating the abortion–breast cancer hypothesis generally start with a group of women who already have received abortions. Membership in this "treated" group is not controlled by the investigator: the group is formed after the "treatment" has been assigned.

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Observational_study

Latest News for: non-experimental

Edit

Google may soon allow you to watch ad-free YouTube videos without paying but there’s a catch

The Times of India 31 Mar 2025

... with non-subscribers.According to YouTube, the experimental feature is currently available for testing in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Turkey and the United Kingdom for a limited time.

Edit

Unlocking Reliable and Reproducible Results with Isotype Controls

The Scientist 31 Mar 2025

Distinguishing true antibody-antigen interactions from non-specific ones is a common challenge for researchers performing in vitro and in vivo antibody-based experiments ... experimental conclusions.

Edit

Google’s new experimental AI model, Gemini 2.5 Pro, is now available to free users too

Engadget 30 Mar 2025

Non-paying Gemini users can now play around with Google’s newest model, the experimental version of Gemini 2.5 Pro. The company announced this weekend that it’s making Gemini 2.5 Pro (experimental) ...

Edit

Air-powered hexapod robot is 3D-printed in one soft n' squishy piece

New Atlas 26 Mar 2025

Most people likely think of robots as complex electronic devices, made up of many parts that have to be assembled in factories. An experimental new non-electronic bot, however, can be 3D-printed all in one piece, and it's powered by nothing but air ... .

Edit

Numbers with purpose: Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim’s quest to revolutionise the data landscape

B & FT Online 26 Mar 2025

By Peter Martey AGBEKO, APR ... Prof ... Annim has expanded Ghana’s statistical ecosystem to incorporate experimental statistics, data science, and non-traditional data sources, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of national development indicators.

Edit

QNX Announces Free Online Training Courses to Grow and Empower Global Developer Community

ACCESSWIRE 18 Mar 2025

... launched initiative, which has opened up the business' high performance foundational software for non-commercial use with a view to advancing embedded systems learning, experimentation and innovation.

Edit

NEVADA VIEWS: Don’t make Nevada radioactive to tourism

Las Vegas Review-Journal 16 Mar 2025

... reliability and effectiveness of the stockpile, using sophisticated experimental facilities, computer modeling and non-nuclear “subcritical” testing at the Nevada National Security Site.

Edit

Neural networks and Raman spectroscopy identify microplastic invaders for a cleaner world

Phys Dot Org 14 Mar 2025

... spectra, even under non-ideal experimental conditions.

Edit

Australia’s Covid Response Caused Significant Harm, Yet Another Official Report Finds

The Daily Sceptic 12 Mar 2025

Another issue raised by participants on the subject of vaccine mandates was the human right not to be subjected to medical or scientific experimentation without free consent (Article 7 of the ICCPR, to which Australia is a party).

Edit

DOGE won’t save our Social Security money. COVID might. | Opinion

Courier Journal 11 Mar 2025

Show Caption. Hide Caption. 5 Lessons from COVID-19 ... It underscores how these experiences can shape a more prepared future ... Social Security is in trouble ... VAXART is an experimental non-mRNA vaccine in the form of a pill ... The virus has become endemic.

Article Search

tools

You can search using any combination of the items listed below.

Language:

Sort:

Indexed:

Search:

Duplicates:

Observational study

Weaknesses

Podcasts:

Latest News for: non-experimental

Google may soon allow you to watch ad-free YouTube videos without paying but there’s a catch

Unlocking Reliable and Reproducible Results with Isotype Controls

Google’s new experimental AI model, Gemini 2.5 Pro, is now available to free users too

Air-powered hexapod robot is 3D-printed in one soft n' squishy piece

Numbers with purpose: Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim’s quest to revolutionise the data landscape

QNX Announces Free Online Training Courses to Grow and Empower Global Developer Community

NEVADA VIEWS: Don’t make Nevada radioactive to tourism

Neural networks and Raman spectroscopy identify microplastic invaders for a cleaner world

Australia’s Covid Response Caused Significant Harm, Yet Another Official Report Finds

DOGE won’t save our Social Security money. COVID might. | Opinion

Article Search

EXPLORE WN.com