Control
Definition
In an experimental or observational study, a control group serves as a baseline comparison for assessing the effects of an intervention or treatment. It does not receive the intervention being tested.
Analogy
Imagine you are baking cookies. The control batch follows your usual recipe without any changes. This allows you to compare how different variations affect taste and texture by having something standard to measure against.
Related terms
Experimental Group: The group that receives the intervention or treatment being tested in an experiment.
Randomization: The process of assigning participants randomly into either the control group or experimental group, reducing potential bias.
Confounding Variable: An extraneous factor that may influence both the independent variable (intervention) and dependent variable (outcome), potentially leading to inaccurate results.
"Control" appears in:
Subjects (6)
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