[Obi-protocol-application-branch] investigation / experiment

[Fostel, Jennifer (NIH/NIEHS) [C]]

From Wikipedia:
(1) Investigation is the process of inquiring into a matter through research, follow-up, study, or formal procedure of discovery.

(2) (term = experiment) In scientific inquiry, an experiment (Latin: ex- periri, "to try out") is a method of investigating particular types of research questions or solving particular types of problems. The experiment is a cornerstone in the empirical approach to acquiring deeper knowledge about the world and is used in both natural sciences as well as in social sciences. An experiment is defined, in science, as a method of investigating less known fields, solving practical problems and proving theoretical assumptions.

An experiment can be thought of as a specific type of method used in scientific inquiries, usually to study causality. Often the objective is to test a hypothesis: i.e. a tentative explanation of a phenomenon or mechanism of causality. The essence of an experiment is to introduce a change in a system (the independent variable) and to study the effect of this change (the dependent variable).

Two fundamental considerations of experimental design are:
    * That the independent variable is the only factor that varies systematically in the experiment; in other words, that the experiment is appropriately controlled - that confounding variables are eliminated; and

    * That the dependent variable truly reflects the phenomenon under study (a question of validity) and that the variable can be measured accurately (i.e., that various types of experimental error, such as measurement error can be eliminated).

(3) (term = observation, since this is not classed under experiment by Wikipedia) Observation is either an activity of a living being (such as a human), consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any datum collected during this activity.

there are three terms in OBI reflecting these terms from Wikipedia:  investigation design and study design (which holds observational design and interventional design)

possibly we should re-name the "study" terms in OBI as "experiment / experimental"?

i need to know since study participant is a core term for the role branch so it would be good to settle this.

...jennifer

Jennifer Fostel, Ph.D.
CEBS Scientific Administrator
Global Health Sector, SRA International, Inc

Laboratory of Respiratory Biology
NIEHS, NIH
PO Box 12233 Mail Drop F1-05
111 Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park NC 27709-2233

phone 919 541 5055
fax 919 541 1460