Paul's definitions sound to me very much like definitions for a
*psychological* experiment. I cannot imagine a physicist, for example,
conducting an experiment that involved "subjects". (Actually, a
physicist might conduct such an experiment, but it would not be an
experiment in physics. Might be an experiment in the learning of
physics, which is not at all the same thing.)
Further, Paul's description of "two or more conditions" can be read
(I don't know if he intended this) as implying that the various
experimental conditions are distinguished only on a categorical
(sometimes called "qualitative") scale, not on a quantitative one.
Such a reading makes the definition of "experiment" unnecessarily
narrow.
-- Don.
On Wed, 12 Mar 2003, Paul Bernhardt wrote in part:
> Experiments are very precisely defined and have the following
> characteristics.
>
> 1) Two or more conditions in the study, one of which is considered a
> 'control' condition.
>
> 2) A variable, manipulated by the experimenter, which distinguishes
> the conditions described above.
>
> 3) Subjects in the study are randomly assigned to conditions in the
> study. That is, each subject which enters the subject has an equal
> chance of assignment to each condition and one subject's assignment
> has no influence on another subject's assignment.
>
> 4) At least one dependent variable is measured.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald F. Burrill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
56 Sebbins Pond Drive, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 626-0816
.
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