What two essential components do experimental studies require?

Experimental studies are fundamentally designed to test hypotheses and determine causal relationships between variables. The two essential components required in these studies are randomization and control.

Randomization is critical because it helps ensure that the groups being compared (e.g., treatment and control groups) are similar in all aspects except for the treatment being studied. This reduces selection bias and enhances the internal validity of the study, allowing for more reliable conclusions about the effect of the intervention.

Control refers to the establishment of a baseline or comparison group that does not receive the experimental treatment. This group is crucial for determining the effect of the intervention by providing a point of reference. Together, these components enable researchers to isolate the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable, thus supporting more accurate causal inferences.

In contrast, the other options do not embody the fundamental characteristics required for conducting an experimental study. Observation and inference may relate to research in general but do not specifically pertain to the structured design of experiments. Causality and measurement are significant in research but lack the systematic approach of randomization and control inherent to experimental designs. Lastly, descriptive analysis and cohort design are more aligned with observational studies rather than experimental studies, as they do not involve active manipulation of variables nor the use of random