Which of the following research designs will allow cause-and-effect conclusions?

Which of the following research designs will allow cause-and-effect conclusions?

1. archival research

2. experimental

3. correlational studies

4. quasi-experimental

Answer:- 2. Experimental

as the Experimental research design supports cause and effect conclusions.

Experimental research is an attempt to mate or manipulate one more independent variable and observe its effect on the dependent variables with holding all other factors. It seeks to establish causality between the independent and dependent variables. By actively adjusting the independent variable and controlling extraneous variables, a researcher can observe whether variations in the independent variable bring about changes in dependent ones. An experiment that has a lot of control increases its internal validity and permits the researcher to be able to make cause-and-effect conclusions.

On the other hand, archival, correlational and quasi -experimental designs do not allow conclusions about cause-and-effect. Archival research involves the analysis of data that was collected for some other purpose, apart from this study. It does not involve the manipulation of variables, hence causal relationships cannot be explained. Correlational research investigates the relationship between variables, but does not involve direct manipulation. For establishing association, but not causation. Quasi-experimental designs do not have the full control over extraneous variables that true experiments possess. While they permit causal inference to some extent, issues with internal validity make conclusions about cause and effect a bit more tenuous. Only experimental research, using random assignment and variable manipulation of the independent variable with rigorous control over extraneous factors leads to any definitive conclusions about causal relationships.