24. Design of Experiments

Question 1

Experimental Design

Answer 1

A formal plan that details for conducting an experiment

Question 2

Effect

Answer 2

The relationship between a factor and a response variable.

Question 3

Response variable

Answer 3

The output variable that shows the observed results or value of an experimental treatment.

Question 4

Observed value

Answer 4

A particular value of a response variable

Question 5

Factor

Answer 5

An Independent variable or assignable cause

Question 6

Noise Factor

Answer 6

An independent variable that is difficult or too expensive to control

Question 7

Level

Answer 7

The setting or assignment of a factor at a specific value.

Question 8

Design Space

Answer 8

The multidimensional region of possible treatment combinations formed by the selected factors and their levels.

Question 9

Experimental Error

Answer 9

The variation that occurs in the response variable

Question 10

Experimental Unit

Answer 10

The smallest entity receiving a particular treatment.

Question 11

Treatment

Answer 11

Specifit setting or combination of factor levels.

Question 12

Experimental Run

Answer 12

A single performance of the experiment

Question 13

Factorial Design

Answer 13

Each complete trial or replication of the experiment all possible combinations of the levels of the factors are investigated.

Question 14

Nested Design

Answer 14

Levels of one factor are nested under the levels of another factor.

Question 15

Power and Sample Size

Answer 15

Power increases as the sample size increases (probability of a type II error, beta, decreases).

Question 16

Repetition

Answer 16

The measurement of a response variable more than once under similar conditions.

Question 17

Replication

Answer 17

The entire experiment is performed more than once for a given set of independent variables.

Replication reflects the sources of variability both within and between runs and adds DF.

Question 18

Confounding (Aliasing)

Answer 18

Occurs when factors or interactions are not distinguishable from one another.

Question 19

Order

Answer 19

The sequence in which the runs of an experiment will be conducted.

• Standard order
• Run order (random)

Question 20

Blocking

Answer 20

A collection of experimental units more homogeneous than the full set of experimental units.

Block effect generally means that the method of blocking was appropriate and that an assignable cause has been found.

Question 21

Main Effect

Answer 21

The impact or influence of a single factor on the mean of the response variable.

Factors with the greatest difference between + and - results have the greatest impact

Question 22

Interaction Effect

Answer 22

When the influence of one factor on the response variable depends on one or more other factors

Question 23

Balanced Design

Answer 23

All treatment combinations have the same number of observations

Question 24

Resolution

Answer 24

The level of confounding in a fractional factorial design. Generally one more than the smallest-order interaction with which a main effect is confounded

Question 25

Source Table

Answer 25

A computational table used to analyze an experimental design.