External validity is a measure of the extent to which a study’s findings can be generalized to other populations. It is important to consider external validity when designing research studies, as findings specific to a particular group may not apply to other groups.
There are many factors to consider when determining the external validity of a study. These include the population studied, the comparison group, the methodology used, and the study’s context.
The population studied is the group of people or animals being studied. It is important to select a population similar to the group being studied in terms of demographics and characteristics. For example, studies that examine the effects of a new drug on patients who are patients of a specific type of doctor are likely to have less external validity than studies that examine the effects of the new drug on a wider population.
The comparison group is the group of people or animals that is not being studied. It is important to select a comparison group similar to the group being studied in terms of demographics and characteristics. For example, studies that examine the effects of a new drug on patients who are not patients of a specific type of doctor are likely to have more external validity than studies that examine the effects of the new drug on a wider population.
The methodology used is how the data was collected. It is important to select a methodology representative of the population being studied. For example, studies that use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) are more likely to have external validity than studies that use other methods.
The context in which the study was conducted is also important. For example, studies conducted in a laboratory setting are more likely to have external validity than studies conducted in the real world.
