Assessing threats to the validity of experimental and observational designs. Fam Pract Res J 1990;10(2):81-95
Date
01/01/1990Pubmed ID
2288239Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0025653992 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
Experimental designs, particularly the randomized trial, are viewed as the most scientifically rigorous methods by which knowledge is attained. Most clinical disciplines, however, use observational study designs more frequently than experimental designs. Nevertheless, the scientific rigor of experimental designs can be approximated by observational designs if common internal validity threats are recognized and addressed during the development of the research protocol. This paper presents a model of threats that can be applied to both types of designs to compare their scientific merits.
Author List
Rogers JC, Holloway RLMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Case-Control StudiesCohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Reproducibility of Results
Research Design