EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION: CHARACTERISTICS AND EXAMPLES - SCIENCE - 2025

The experimental research is the alteration of an experimental variable (or several) to determine the causes or effects it may cause. It must be managed in an environment strictly supervised by the person conducting the experiment.

In this way, the researcher can evaluate in what way or for what reason something in particular happens. This type of research is provoked, which allows the intensity variables to be modified.

A simple example of experimental research would be if we take two similar plants and we apply a nutritive substrate to one and not to the other. The object is to compare the effect that the substrate can produce in accelerating its growth. If the plant with substrate grows in size more quickly, the substrate is most likely to have a positive effect.

In a non-experimental investigation, the person validates the characteristics and factors, and observes the results without modifying or manipulating these characteristics. In contrast, in experimental research the researcher manipulates characteristics, intensity, and frequency to vary the results.

Experimental research differs from other types of research because the study objective and its method depend on the researcher and the decisions he makes to carry out the experiment.

In the experiment the variables are manipulated voluntarily and the results are observed in a controlled environment. Repetitions of the experiments are carried out to verify certain hypotheses made by the researcher. This can be done in a laboratory or in the field.

Definition according to different authors

Santa Palella and Feliberto Martins

Santa Palella and Feliberto Martins (2010), authors of the book Quantitative Research Methodology, define experimental design as the experiment in which the researcher manipulates an unproven experimental variable.

According to these researchers, conditions must be strictly controlled, in order to describe how and for what cause a phenomenon occurs or may occur.

Fidias Arias

On the other hand, according to Fidias Arias, author of the book The Research Project, «experimental research is a process that consists of subjecting an object or group of individuals to certain conditions, stimuli or treatment (independent variable), to observe the effects or reactions that occur (dependent variable) ”.

Douglas Montgomery

Douglas Montgomery, a specialist in experiment design and a professor at the University of Arizona in the United States, defines the experiment as "a trial in which one or more variables are deliberately manipulated."

Characteristics of experimental research

Experimental variables or factors are manipulated

The researcher intervenes by modifying variables or factors that affect the experiment and observes the reactions that are generated.

Several factors can be altered simultaneously. However, the ideal is to alter one by one and then alter several, in order to be able to observe the results independently and see how each variation affects the results.

Control groups are established

There must be two groups. One in which the factors or variables are not modified and another in which the manipulation is carried out.

Thus it will be possible to observe the results in both groups and to be able to identify the differences. This makes it possible to quantify the change induced by the experimental treatment and guarantees the possibility of verifying the variations in the groups of variables.

It is assigned randomly

With two equivalent groups, the application of the experiment is established randomly, in order to then be able to carry out the valid relationships from the experimental data. This must be done in two moments:

Since the groups were equal in their variables at the beginning, the differences found after each treatment were due to the treatment.

Examples of experimental investigations

In experimental research, research variables are modified

Study on improving the social climate in the classroom

In a public institute of the Valencia community called Castellar-Oliveral, an investigation was carried out whose general objective was to improve the social climate of the classroom.

This was intended to be achieved through the application of an education program for coexistence, in which participation and cooperation, conflict resolution and the learning of rules were promoted.

The fundamental idea of ​​this research was to improve the perception that each student had about the classroom.

In this research two groups of students were selected. One of the groups was the experimental one; that is, the one who was exposed to the influence of the pedagogical program. The other group was the control group, which was the one that remained free from the influence of the experiment.

The study is in the field because it is carried out under normal conditions of daily life. In this case, it is in a classroom at school.

Both groups were quite homogeneous, since they studied in the same course (in different sections) and their classrooms were similar, since they had the same conditions.

After the experiment, it was found that there was indeed a notable improvement in the social climate of the classroom. These results allowed us to consider the application of said education program for coexistence in a generalized way in both classrooms.

Possible cure for breast and prostate cancer

Julio César Cárdenas, principal scientist at the Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Bioenergetics of the University of Chile, carried out an experiment through which he discovered a possible cure for breast and prostate cancer.

The results of this research were generated after 7 years of studies. During that time, Cárdenas was investigating with cells from humans (in vitro) and with mice.

The data from their study show that there was a 50% decrease in tumor reproduction in prostate and breast cancers.

Although these results are quite encouraging, the researcher states that human testing is not yet possible. He estimates that this will happen in about 10 years.

Bad sleep can cause problems in the couple

According to a study carried out by the University of California, Berkeley, it has been estimated that poor sleep can generate selfish attitudes in people and cause problems in couples.

The research is led by psychologist Amie Gordon, who establishes that, in addition to selfish attitudes, it is possible that a bad dream produces a rather negative outlook on life.

The study was based on data collected from 60 couples, ranging in age from 18 to 56. The aspects they took into account were the way in which they solved their daily problems and the feelings they said they had towards their partners.

People who reported having sleep problems did indeed show much less appreciation for their partners and were more inconsiderate, showing little appreciation for their peers.

Discoveries about the regeneration of cancer cells

Scientists from the French National Center for Scientific Research announced a revolutionary discovery.

It is about the possibility of regeneration of cells affected by UVA rays used in chemotherapy and radiotherapy procedures.

The method to carry out this discovery was nanotechnology. What these scientists accomplished, after many experiments, was to video the enzymes in real time while they were repairing cancer cells.

The scope of this research is that it may be possible to inhibit the action of these enzymes when they are about to repair cells affected by ultraviolet rays.

Prevention of volcanic action in Mexico

Donald Bruce Dingwell is a scientist at the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, located in Germany.

He carried out an experimental investigation through which he studied the natural processes that are generated when explosive eruptions occur in volcanoes.

What this scientist did was recreate in a laboratory conditions similar to those experienced in volcano eruptions. It is Dingwell's intent to identify potential risks and items that can be predicted.

The advantage of this research is that it will allow people who live near volcanoes to have a normal life.

This will be so because it will be possible to identify elements that can predict the proximity of a volcanic activity, and will allow the inhabitants of these areas to have the opportunity to act in time.

One of the main beneficiaries of this will be Mexico. The Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico hosted a conference given by Dingwell, in which he spoke about his findings.

Among the specific elements that this researcher explores, the texture of the magma, the quality of the volcanic ash and the concentration of gases stand out. All of these are essential elements for predicting volcanic activity.

Themes of interest

Scientific method.

Basic investigation.

Field research.

Applied research.

Pure research.

Explanatory research.

Descriptive research.

Observational study.

Documentary research.

References

1. Types of research. Recovered Eumed: eumed.net
2. Scientists discover a new repair mechanism for cancer cells. Recovered from Excelsior: excelsior.com.mx
3. Chilean scientist tests possible cure for cancer in the United States after years of research. Recovered from El Dínamo: eldinamo.cl
4. German research would help develop volcano hazard maps. Recovered from 20 minutes: 20minutos.com.mx
5. Research methods with an experimental approach. Recovered from the Graduate School of the Enrique Guzman y Valle National University of Education: postgradoune.edu.ve