Which is not the principle of experimental design?

Which is not the principle of experimental design?

(A) Principle of Replication

(B) Principle of Universalization

(C) Principle of Randomization

(D) Principle of local control

(Question asked  in the year 2012 Paper-II Questions No-20 UGC NET)  

The principle of universalization is not a principle of experimental design. The other options are all principles of experimental design. So the answer is B.

• Principle of replication: Repeating the experiment to ensure the results are reliable
• Principle of randomization: Assigning treatments to experimental units randomly to avoid bias
• Principle of local control: Controlling for extraneous variables that could affect the results of the experiment
• Principle of universalization: The results of the experiment can be generalized to other populations.

The principle of universalization is more of a goal of experimental design than a specific principle. It is hoped that the results of an experiment can be applied to a wider population, but this is not always possible.

Sure. The principle of universalization is not a principle of experimental design because it is not something that can be controlled by the experimenter. The experimenter can only control the variables that are part of the experiment. The results of the experiment may or may not be generalizable to other populations, but this is something that can only be determined after the experiment is conducted.

The other three principles, on the other hand, are all things that the experimenter can control. The principle of replication ensures that the results of the experiment are reliable by repeating it multiple times. The principle of randomization helps to avoid bias by randomly assigning treatments to experimental units. The principle of local control helps to control for extraneous variables that could affect the results of the experiment.

Therefore, the principle of universalization is not a principle of experimental design because it is not something that can be controlled by the experimenter. The other three principles, on the other hand, are all things that the experimenter can control and are therefore principles of experimental design.

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between the four principles: