The principles of experimental research / K. Srinagesh.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Srinagesh, K.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Research--Methodology.

Research.

Science--Experiments--Methodology.

Science.

Science--Experiments.

Physical Description:

xviii, 410 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann, [2006]

Summary:

Principles of Experimental Research is an introductory textbook on all fundamental aspects of designing and conducting experiments for quantitative research. It addresses the nearly universal need among engineers and scientists to understand how to design and set up an investigative experiment. This book offers an easily accessible introduction to the essential tools needed, an understanding of logical processes, how to use measurement, the correct approaches to designing experiments that will achieve reproducible results, and how data should be analyzed and interpreted.

The main emphasis of Principles of Experimental Research is on all the essential mathematical and logic tools needed to design, set up and run a successful engineering or scientific experiment-either as part of an introduction to lab techniques or as part of basic fundamentals of research. Unlike other similar texts, this book does not presume a strong background in statistics, but still offers a solid review of the needed statistical tools for doing proper analysis and drawing correct conclusions.

Contents:

1 Experimental Research in Science: Its Name and Nature 1

1.1 Defining Science 1

1.2 Science: Play or Profession? 3

1.3 Science and Research 5

1.4 Varieties of Experimental Research 7

1.5 Conventional Researchers 9

Part I The Fundamentals 13

2 The Importance of Definitions 15

2.1 Toward Definition 15

2.2 Defining "Definition" 17

2.3 Common Terms Used in Definitions 18

2.4 Varieties of Definitions 19

2.5 Need for Definitions 24

2.6 What Definitions Should and Should Not Do 25

3 Aspects of Quantification 29

3.1 Quantity and Quality 29

3.2 The Uses of Numbers 30

3.3 An Intellectual Close-up of Counting 32

3.4 The Process of Measurement 33

3.5 Quantities and Measurements 35

3.6 Derived Quantities 37

3.7 Units for Measurement 38

3.8 Fundamental Quantities and Dimensions 38

3.9 Dimensional Analysis 40

3.10 Accuracy versus Approximation 43

4 The Purpose and Principles Involved in Experimenting 47

4.1 The Purpose of Experimenting 47

4.2 Cause and Effect 48

4.3 Pertinence and Forms of Cause 50

4.4 Mill's Methods of Experimental Inquiry 51

4.5 Planning for the Experiment 56

4.6 Standardization of Test Material(s) 57

4.7 Reproducibility 58

4.8 Number of "Experiments" 59

Part II Planning the Experiments 61

5 Defining the Problem for Experimental Research 63

5.1 To Define a Problem 63

5.2 Relation of the Problem to Resources 65

5.3 Relevance of the Problem 67

5.4 Extent of the Problem 67

5.5 Problem: Qualitative or Quantitative? 69

5.6 Can the Problem Be Reshaped? 70

5.7 Proverbs on Problems 71

6 Stating the Problem as a Hypothesis 75

6.1 The Place of Hypothesis in Research 75

6.2 Desirable Qualities of Hypotheses 80

7 Designing Experiments to Suit Problems 85

7.1 Several Problems, Several Causes 85

7.2 Treatment Structures 88

7.3 Many Factors at Many Levels, but One Factor at a Time 89

7.4 Factorial Design, the Right Way 92

7.5 Too Many Factors on Hand? 93

7.6 "Subjects-and-Controls" Experiments 94

7.7 Combined Effect of Many Causes 98

7.8 Unavoidable ("Nuisance") Factors 99

8 Dealing with Factors 101

8.1 Designing Factors 101

8.2 Experiments with Designed Factors 102

8.3 Matrix of Factors 105

8.4 Remarks on Experiments with Two-Level Factors 111

8.5 Response of Multifactor Experiments 111

8.6 Experiments with More Factors, Each at Two Levels 116

8.7 Fractional Factorials 123

8.8 Varieties of Factors 125

8.9 Levels of Factors 129

9 Factors at More Than Two Levels 133

9.1 Limitations of Experiments with Factors at Two Levels 133

9.2 Four-Level Factorial Experiments 134

9.3 Interactions 139

9.4 Main Effects 140

9.5 More on Interactions 143

9.6 More Factors at More Than Two Levels 144

Part III The Craft Part of Experimental Research 155

10 Searching through Published Literature 157

10.1 Researcher and Scholar 157

10.2 Literature in Print 158

10.3 Overdoing? 160

10.4 After the Climb 161

11 Building the Experimental Setup 163

11.1 Diversity to Match the Need 163

11.2 Designing the Apparatus 164

11.3 Simplicity, Compactness, and Elegance 165

11.4 Measuring Instruments 166

11.5 Calibration 168

11.6 Researcher as Handyman 170

11.7 Cost Considerations 171

Part IV The Art of Reasoning in Scientific Research 175

12 Logic and Scientific Research 177

12.1 The Subject, Logic 177

12.2 Some Terms in Logic 179

12.3 Induction versus Deduction 185

13 Inferential Logic for Experimental Research 189

13.1 Inferential Logic and Experimental Research 189

13.2 Logical Fallacies 190

13.3 Argument 194

13.4 Categorical Propositions 195

13.5 Conventions, Symbolism, and Relations among Categorical Propositions 196

13.6 Diagrammatic Representation of Categorical Propositions 201

13.7 Categorical Syllogisms 203

13.8 Ordinary Language and Arguments 211

14 Use of Symbolic Logic 217

14.1 The Need for Symbolic Logic 217

14.2 Symbols in Place of Words 219

14.3 Conjunction 219

14.4 Truth Tables 220

14.5 Disjunction 221

14.6 Negation 223

14.7 Conditional Statements 223

14.8 Material Implication 227

14.9 Punctuation in Symbolic Logic 227

14.10 Equivalence: "Material" and "Logical" 228

14.11 Application of Symbolic Logic 230

14.12 Validity of Arguments 231

Part V Probability and Statistics for Experimental Research 233

15 Introduction to Probability and Statistics 235

15.1 Relevance of Probability and Statistics in Experimental Research 235

15.2 Defining the Terms: Probability and Statistics 238

15.3 Relation between Probability and Statistics 239

15.4 Philosophy of Probability 240

15.5 Logic of Probability and Statistics 241

15.6 Quantitative Probability 241

15.7 Nature of Statistics 247

15.8 Measures of Central Tendency (Average) 249

15.9 Measures of Dispersion 256

15.10 Tabular Presentations of Statistical Data 261

15.11 Grouping the Data 265

15.12 Graphical Presentations of Data 268

15.13 Normal Distribution Curve 274

15.14 Frequency Distributions That Are Not Normal 277

16 Randomization, Replication, and Sampling 281

16.1 Need for Randomization 281

16.2 Applications of Randomization 284

16.3 Methods of Randomization 288

16.4 Meaning of Randomization 290

16.5 Replication 291

16.6 Samples and Sampling 292

16.7 Notions of Set 294

16.8 Permutations and Combinations 297

16.9 Quantitative Statement of Randomization 301

16.10 Sampling Methods 302

17 Further Significance of Samples 307

17.1 Inference from Samples 307

17.2 Theoretical Sampling Distribution of X 308

17.3 Central Limit Theorem 314

17.4 Standard Normal Distribution 316

17.5 Frequency Distribution and Probability Function 317

17.6 Standard Normal Curve 321

17.7 Questions/Answers Using the APSND Table 329

18 Planning the Experiments in Statistical Terms 333

18.1 Guiding Principles 333

18.2 Some Preliminaries for Planned Experiments 335

18.3 Null and Alternate Hypotheses 337

18.4 Accepting (or Rejecting) Hypotheses: Objective Criteria 344

18.5 Procedures for Planning the Experiments 346

18.6 Other Situation Sets 357

18.7 Operating Characteristic Curve 362

18.8 Sequential Experimenting 366

18.9 Concluding Remarks on the Procedures 371

19 Statistical Inference from Experimental Data 373

19.1 The Way to Inference 373

19.2 Estimation (From Sample Mean to Population Mean) 375

19.3 Testing of Hypothesis 382

19.4 Regression and Correlation 385

19.5 Multiple Regression 391.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0750679263

OCLC:

62874153