The need to understand how to design and set up an investigative experiment is nearly universal to all students in engineering, applied technology and science, as well as many of the social sciences. Many schools offer courses in this fundamental skill and this book is meant to offer an easily accessible introduction to the essential tools needed, including an understanding of logical processes, how to use measurement, the do’s and don’ts of designing experiments so as to achieve reproducible results and the basic mathematical underpinnings of how data should be analyzed and interpreted. The subject is also taught as part of courses on Engineering statistics, Quality Control in Manufacturing, and Senior Design Project, in which conducting experimental research is usually integral to the project in question. * Covers such essential fundamentals as "definitions," "quantification," and standardization of test materials * Shows students and professionals alike how to plan an experiment—from how to frame a proper Hypothesis to designing an experiment to accurately reflect the nature of the problem to "designing with factors." * Includes a separate section on the use of Statistics in Experimental Research, including overview of probability and statistics, as well as Randomization, Replication and Sampling, as well as proper ways to draw statistical inferences from experimental data.

This book is about the statistical principles behind the design of effective experiments and focuses on the practical needs of applied statisticians and experimenters engaged in design, implementation and analysis. Emphasising the logical principles of statistical design, rather than mathematical calculation, the authors demonstrate how all available information can be used to extract the clearest answers to many questions. The principles are illustrated with a wide range of examples drawn from real experiments in medicine, industry, agriculture and many experimental disciplines. Numerous exercises are given to help the reader practise techniques and to appreciate the difference that good design can make to an experimental research project. Based on Roger Mead's excellent Design of Experiments, this new edition is thoroughly revised and updated to include modern methods relevant to applications in industry, engineering and modern biology. It also contains seven new chapters on contemporary topics, including restricted randomisation and fractional replication.

We shall examine the validity of 16 experimental designs against 12 common threats to valid inference. By experiment we refer to that portion of research in which variables are manipulated and their effects upon other variables observed. It is well to distinguish the particular role of this chapter. It is not a chapter on experimental design in the Fisher (1925, 1935) tradition, in which an experimenter having complete mastery can schedule treatments and measurements for optimal statistical efficiency, with complexity of design emerging only from that goal of efficiency. Insofar as the designs discussed in the present chapter become complex, it is because of the intransigency of the environment: because, that is, of the experimenter’s lack of complete control.

Featuring engaging examples from diverse disciplines, this book explains how to use modern approaches to quasi-experimentation to derive credible estimates of treatment effects under the demanding constraints of field settings. Foremost expert Charles S. Reichardt provides an in-depth examination of the design and statistical analysis of pretest-posttest, nonequivalent groups, regression discontinuity, and interrupted time-series designs. He details their relative strengths and weaknesses and offers practical advice about their use. Reichardt compares quasi-experiments to randomized experiments and discusses when and why the former might be a better choice. Modern moethods for elaborating a research design to remove bias from estimates of treatment effects are described, as are tactics for dealing with missing data and noncompliance with treatment assignment. Throughout, mathematical equations are translated into words to enhance accessibility.

Let this down-to-earth book be your guide to the statistical integrity of your work. Without relying on the detailed and complex mathematical explanations found in many other statistical texts, Principles of Experimental Design for the Life Sciences teaches how to design, conduct, and interpret top-notch life science studies. Learn about the planning of biomedical studies, the principles of statistical design, sample size estimation, common designs in biological experiments, sequential clinical trials, high dimensional designs and process optimization, and the correspondence between objectives, design, and analysis. Each of these important topics is presented in an understandable and non-technical manner, free of statistical jargon and formulas. Written by a biostatistical consultant with 25 years of experience, Principles of Experimental Design for the Life Sciences is filled with real-life examples from the author's work that you can quickly and easily apply to your own. These examples illustrate the main concepts of experimental design and cover a broad range of application areas in both clinical and nonclinical research. With this one innovative, helpful book you can improve your understanding of statistics, enhance your confidence in your results, and, at long last, shake off those statistical shackles!