The difference between a true experiment and a quasi-experiment is that in a quasi-experiment,participants are assigned at random to different conditions.

True Experiment

A type of scientific experiment where the researcher manipulates one variable and controls/randomizes the rest to observe the effect on a dependent variable.

Quasi-Experiment

A research design lacking random assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups, yet employing intervention and examination of its effects.

Random Assignment

A method used in experiments that randomly allocates participants to different groups in order to eliminate bias and ensure the groups are comparable.