Understanding the Difference: Survey vs Experiment
Explanation:
Surveys vs Experiments
Surveys are typically tools used to collect data on behaviors, attitudes, and opinions. Common survey methods include questionnaires, interviews, and various types of polls such as telephone or internet polls. These survey methods consist of structured interviews, where all respondents are asked the same series of questions, and their answers are then collected and analyzed.
What is an Experiment?
An experiment, however, is a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. Experiments involve controlled tests and conditions to explore cause and effect relationships between variables. In an experiment, researchers actively manipulate one variable to observe the effect on another, which is not characteristic of surveys.
Differences in Methodology
Surveys aim to understand and catalog respondents' views or experiences without altering any variables. Therefore, an experiment is not considered a survey because it employs different methodology and aims to produce different types of insights.